Mother Knows Best
by Veritas Found
Summary: When Jackie makes a flippant comment in the presence of an alien artifact, she wakes up to find her entire world flipped around – and not in the good way. There's only one man she knows who could fix it, and she's just wished him out of their lives.
1. A Problem that I Long to Disappear

**Title:** Mother Knows Best

**Author:** Wish Wielder

**Fandom:** Doctor Who (with Torchwoody references of sorts)

**Pairing / Character Focus:** Jackie Tyler, Ninth/Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Jack Harkness, Mickey Smith, Martha Jones / Doctor x Rose Tyler

**Challenge:** Songs in Time Christmas Special Lyric Challenge

**Theme / Prompt:** I have wandered, I have rambled / I have crossed this crowded sphere / And I've seen a mass of problems / That I long to disappear / Now all I have's this anguished heart / For you have vanished, too / Oh my girl, my girl, my precious girl / Just what is this man to do? (from "Love Don't Roam")

**Word Count:**

**Rating:** T / PG-13

**Summary:** When Jackie makes a flippant comment in the presence of an alien artifact, she wakes up to find her entire world flipped around – and not in the good way. There's only one man – well, alien – she knows who could possibly fix it, and she's just wished him out of their lives.

**Notes:** This is slightly AU (I say slightly as I'm sure this could happen but prob'ly won't in canon), and…bear with me, please. I could have done your usual Emo!Doc fic, but...well, I had this idea, and I really wanted to run with it. Also, **That Spoiler** (of sorts) 'n potentially some for VotD (but they're not too too spoilery).

**Disclaimer:** "Doctor Who" and all respective properties are © the BBC. Megan D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Doctor Who".

_**Mother Knows Best  
**__**Chapter One**__**: A Problem that I Long to Disappear**_

Up in her room, tucked away on the second story of the Tyler mansion, Rose Tyler could hear the sounds of the party floating up from the floor below her. Muffled music and raucous laughter, mingled with animated chatter and hoots for the already-drunk – it was a reminder to the twenty-four-year-old of where she should be right now, instead of where she was. Well…she couldn't exactly say that; where she should be right now wasn't even in this universe. Where her mother and almost-father thought she should be was downstairs, chatting up the Vitex execs Pete Tyler was trying to impress this time around. It's not like it was very hard, anyway; these parties were really just for appearances, as the Vitex company in this universe was a runaway success. Everyone loved Pete Tyler and his tonics – and they loved him even more for his mysterious daughter, the Torchwood London second-in-command who saved their planet on a weekly basis.

She shook her head and forced the party out of her mind; she had more important things to do right now, and they wouldn't really mind if she was…glancing at the clock on her bedside, she winced. An hour late wasn't really that bad, was it?

Besides, she couldn't be worried with public appearances. Not when sitting on her desk was a something that shouldn't exist: an artifact of semi-unknown origins. R&D labeled it 'unknown' and sent it to her, the nearest expert, to try and figure out what it was just that morning. One look at the glass sphere and her ideas were about as good as theirs – except for the etchings covering the surface. Swirling, clock-like patterns she had only seen one place before – the TARDIS. She had no idea what the device was, but she was certain it was Time Lord – and if it was Time Lord, it was from home.

Twirling it on her desk so it spun like a top, she sighed. The glass spun around, the orange sphere inside of it blurring as it turned. Beyond that, she had no idea what it was or what its purpose was. It wasn't the first time she had found herself wishing the Doctor was there, if for no other reason than just to pick his brain. Ok, snogging him senseless would be nice…but right now, she needed a Time Lord authority. The sphere stopped as she placed her hand back on it, her eyes scrunching over the rim of the glasses she had started wearing shortly after starting her (she wanted to gag every time she was reminded of it) desk job. She didn't need them, but they made her feel smarter, and in a way…well, it was kinda like her first Doctor's leather jacket. It was easier to get through work when she had something to hide behind.

"There you are!"

She jumped at her mum's high-pitched voice, and as she swirled in her chair to look at her she realized work wasn't the only thing she needed a shield for. Jackie Tyler stood in the doorway to her room, hands on hips covered in the glittering black fabric of a dress that, just five years ago, she never would have dreamed of wearing. Partially because she could never afford it, and partially because of how tacky the collar and low-cut neckline made it look. She bit back any comment she normally would have made on the dress with one look to her mum's face; her eyes were narrowed in a glare, and she did not look happy.

"Sorry?" she asked instead, and Jackie sighed.

"I've been looking all over for you, Rose! You're over an hour late, sweetheart!" she said, walking over to her. She paused by her desk as her eyes fell on the artifact. Rose didn't think it was possible for her eyes to turn any icier, but with one sharp suck of breath Jackie Tyler proved her wrong. "Torchwood, is it?"

"I was just trying –" she started, but Jackie cut her off with a sniff.

"I know what you were just trying, Rose Marion Tyler, and I can honestly say I don't rightly care," she said. She leveled her glare on her, and Rose suddenly felt like she was eight again. Eight years old and just caught next to the broken antique vase, football clutched in her arms. "Rose, this is a very important party, and here you are – dressed and from what I can tell with no proper reason to not be downstairs. Your dad's partners have been asking after you, and all you can say is you're up here doing something for Torchwood. Because it obviously can't wait, can it? Who's going to destroy the Earth this time if you don't figure out what that is right now?"

"It's not like that, Mum," Rose sighed, looking back to the device. Her hand tightened on the smooth glass, her eyes boring into the orange sphere that looked so much like a small planet. "It's just an unknown, but…it's important that I figure out what it is. Besides, it's not like they're going to miss me down there. And like you said – it's Dad's partners, so it's a Vitex thing. Ask anyone – Rose Tyler doesn't do Vitex functions. It's listed in bold on TylerWatch."

"…TylerWatch? What on Earth are you on about now?" Jackie asked, and she just shrugged.

"It's a website Mickey found the other day. It's run by a group of paranormal investigators – LINDA. I'm their number one target, as they claim I shouldn't exist," she said, grinning slightly. Jackie groaned and rolled her eyes.

"For heaven's sake, Rose – there's a party downstairs! One that has nothing to do with Torchwood, and that's something you need – something that _isn't_ Torchwood! You're working yourself too hard, Rose. You need to slow down – you're gonna kill yourself, or worse get yourself killed!" she said. Rose picked up the sphere and turned it over in her palm, frowning at it. She didn't want to hear this. Not now, not when she was so close to…

"It's Time Lord, Mum," she said quietly, and Jackie stopped. She turned the sphere around with her fingers, a soft smile curling her lips as she studied the circular script. "It's from back home – Time Lords don't exist in this one, he said. It could be my way back, so I need to figure out how it works. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

She looked back to her mum, not entirely surprised to see the furious look dancing through her eyes. Jackie loved the Doctor, in her own way – she knew that. But still, even all these years later, there was the part of her that would always loathe him. Loathe him for taking her away, loathe him for sending her back, loathe him for trapping her here, loathe him for breaking her heart on that beach…it was little things that Jackie liked to nitpick. Little things that she told herself overshadowed the good (like getting Pete back), and little things that let her stay mad whenever Rose would bring him up again.

"There is a party, Rose," Jackie said, her voice deathly calm. "A party downstairs for your father's company. And he wants you there. Now you're going to stop this rubbish about the Doctor, go downstairs, and live that fantastic life he wanted you to have."

"Mum –" she started, but Jackie cut her off.

"Don't you start, Rose Tyler – don't you dare start! You told me he said that, remember? He wants you to have a fantastic life – the one he can't have 'cause he's too busy traveling to settle down! And this is how you do that? Staying cooped up in your room working on alien gizmos you claim are from his universe?!" Jackie asked, and she slammed the sphere down on her desk as she stood. She didn't even wince when she wondered if maybe that had been smart, as it was possible the contact could have shattered it.

"Your universe, Mum – _my_ universe! _Our_ universe!" she shouted. She heard a lull in the music downstairs, but she didn't care; let them hear them. Let the truth come out. Let them have their field day over Pete Tyler's parallel family. She just didn't care anymore. "Don't you dare forget that! Don't you dare forget that we don't…that I don't belong here!"

"And what is that supposed to mean?!" Jackie asked, and Rose finally let herself glare at her mother.

"You had someone to replace, just like Mickey," she said steadily. "I replaced a dog. You honestly believe I'm meant to be here?"

"It doesn't matter if you are or not, Rose – you're here now, and that's what's important! So stop wasting your time trying to get back there – do you really think if it was at all possible he would've told you? If it was at all possible, he would've sodding done it by now!" Jackie snapped. Rose paused, her eyes narrowing on her mother.

"He might not know how," she said calmly. "He might…with his people gone, he probably thinks there _is_ no way. And…time moves faster here, so it's maybe only been one year for him! He…I can't give up on him, Mum!"

"I'm not asking you to, sweetheart – I'm just asking you to live your life!" Jackie said. "To live the life he gave you –"

"This is not the life he gave me! This is the life I was thrown in when the universe decided it wanted to be mean! The only part you could even try to say he gave me was Torchwood – 'Defender of the Earth', remember? How can you say he wouldn't want me doing this when he's the one who charged me that?!" Rose screamed, and she jumped as Jackie reached for her, ripping the sphere out of her hands. She pointed to the door, her eyes venomous and tone dripping as her pointing hand fisted around the glass.

"I don't care about your status as 'Defender of the Earth', Rose Marion Tyler – it's not even official! Just a nickname that bloody alien git gave you! You've got a real life with real obligations downstairs, now go make your appearances!" she screeched, and Rose took a step back as her fists clenched by her side. She could feel herself shaking, but she didn't care. "Honestly, sometimes I wish you'd never met the bloody Doctor!"

It was worse than any 'Tyler Slap' she could have given her. It was a blow to the gut and a stab through the heart all at once, and for a moment Rose couldn't even think to breathe. She stood there, staring at Jackie with a furious stare and shaking fists and the burn of tears pricking her eyes. She supposed Jackie didn't fully know what she had said when she said it, and maybe later she'd come to say the same of her next words. But she didn't care. She just didn't care – not anymore.

"Sometimes I wish he'd never taken me home," she said, and while Jackie gaped at her she gathered the skirt of her deep blue dress in her hands and stormed out of the room.

– W –

It was a steely silence that had settled over the bedroom of Pete and Jackie Tyler. The room separated them, Pete standing near the closet removing his bowtie and Jackie seated by her mirror removing her jewelry. Jackie's eyes were distant, her mind equally so as she thought back to the fi…_disagreement_ she had had with her eldest daughter earlier that evening. Pete continued to shoot her unnoticed glances, his teeth worrying his lower lip as he considered how best to approach her. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew that Rose had been upset all night – a distress that was mirrored by her mother, though they both did their best to hide it. Jackie – even his original Jackie – had never been good at that, and he had a sinking feeling that Rose hadn't been, either.

"Well, I'd say tonight was a success," he finally said with as much of a sarcastic edge as he dared, hanging his suit jacket in the bag for dry cleaning. Jackie hummed an acknowledgement, yet she didn't look at him. He sighed and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Jacks, what happened?"

"I don't know what you mean – nothing happened," Jackie said, but he could tell by the twitch of her wrist that something had.

"C'mon, Jacks – something had to have happened," he said. "You and Rose were both on edge tonight. I don't think I saw an honest smile from either of you."

"Rose never gives an honest smile anymore," Jackie said distantly, and he sighed. He sat on the chair next to her and propped his elbows on his knees.

"Jackie –" he started, but she wasn't done.

"It's all _his_ fault, you know," she said. "Rose was never this torn up over that Jimmy Stones boy. Yeah, he hurt her, but she got over him within a month. Started seeing Mickey, and that was a good match – a smart match! Then he comes in with his big ears and time travel, and she swans off like we mean nothing – and look what's come of it! Why can't she just let it go, Pete?"

"Did you ever let me go?" he asked, and she turned a sharp eye on him.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" she snapped, and he sighed. He ran a hand through his short hair and glanced at her reflection in the mirror.

"Your Pete – the one from your original world – died," he said. Jackie's eyes narrowed. "You told me the first time I saw you that there was never anyone else. You never let me go, Jacks."

"That's different," she said huffily. He quirked a brow at her, the question of 'How so?' not even needing to be asked. She looked back at her mirror and frowned. "You're…you're _Pete_, Pete. He's…he's…"

"Not human?" Pete asked, and she sighed.

"Is that so horrible of me?" she asked, and he laughed as he shook his head.

"Not entirely, no," he said, "but it doesn't mean anything, not really. She loves him, Jackie – still does, even after all this time. Did you honestly think that she'd ever let him go?"

"I just want her happy, Pete! I want her to settle down with a nice, normal bloke – to get away from all this…Torchwood," she sighed as she paused, pressing a palm to her forehead. "I went to find her when she was late, and she was up in her room fiddling with that ball they gave her earlier. She says it's from our world – that it was from the Doctor's people."

"Really?" Pete asked, brows soaring at the news. Jackie nodded.

"She thinks it's her way home, Pete," she said, looking at him. "I just…I didn't…don't want her getting her hopes up. There've been so many…I just wish she'd let him go. It'd be easier for her if she did."

"Do you honestly believe that, Jacks?" he asked, reaching out to place a hand on her cheek. She glanced up at him and sighed.

"No, but…I just wish I had my little girl back. She grew up so fast, Pete, and I don't even know how," she said. He gave her a smile, trying his best to lighten the mood.

"Bright side?" he asked, and she looked at him curiously. "You've got Lilly now. You can watch her grow up and keep her as close as you like."

"Until you take her away to work for Torchwood," she said bitterly, but Pete only laughed. She smiled slightly at the sound.

"Only if she wants to, Jacks," he said, leaning forward and kissing her. "Only if she wants to."

– W –

"Goodnight, Lilly," Mickey said, looking to the small girl bundled up in her bed in the dark room. The soft glow of the star-shaped nightlight illuminated her face, which smiled up at him from underneath a mess of strawberry blonde hair.

"G'night, Uncle Mickey," Lilly said before yawning. He chuckled to himself as he slipped out of the door, clicking it shut behind him. He turned and paused when he saw Rose standing by the window closest to her younger sister's room, her arms folded over her chest and looking up at the sky with that look on her face. He'd gotten used to it over the years; it was the one that told him her mind was across the Void, dancing around a coralesque console room in the arms of a skinny Time Lord. He walked over to her and stood before the window, mirroring her pose as he looked up at the stars.

"What do you think about?" he asked, and she glanced at him without turning. He shrugged slightly and nodded towards the sky. "When you look at 'em, what do you think about?"

"Tonight or in general?" she asked, and he shrugged again.

"Both," he clarified, and his lips quirked up as she smiled.

"Tonight….well, Barcelona," she said, laughing at her private joke. He didn't get it, but he grinned nonetheless.

"Nice place," he said. "Love the fruit."

"Not the city Barcelona, Mick – the planet," she said, and he nodded.

"Right, should've figured," he said, winking at her. She laughed and shook her head. "And in general?"

"Barcelona, and every other planet we never got to see," she said, and he tried not to notice the way her smile drooped or how her eyes turned in, becoming even more distant than before. "Well, that I never got to see. We didn't really make plans, but…there were a few he promised to take me to one day. Barcelona was one of 'em – but we never really managed to make it. He said the dogs there don't have noses."

He laughed when she laughed, because it seemed appropriate.

"When I get back, that's the first place he's taking me," she said after a moment, and suddenly Mickey found he couldn't laugh anymore. He hadn't heard her talk like that in at least a year. "We won't make it – we never do – but I'm gonna tell him, 'Doctor, we're going to Barcelona.' Last time we tried we ended up in the city – that was the closest we ever came."

"Well, it's not like he could actually fly that thing," he sniffed, and she laughed. No matter how much he didn't want her building her hopes up, he couldn't deny he had missed the twinkle dancing in her eyes. "How're things coming with that glass ball?"

"The same," she said, sighing as she leaned against the wall.

"Addie said you think it's Time Lord," he said, and she shot him a look. He shrugged. "She's worried about you, Rose."

"It is," she said, side-stepping his girlfriend and the topic of the fight with Jackie. "They're the only ones with writing like that. I've seen those symbols before, Mickey. I just can't place their meaning."

"Well, maybe it's Time Lords from this world," Mickey said, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"I keep telling you that's not possible," she said. "The Doctor said that Time Lords are above the multiverse; they could cross into separate universes if they wanted, but they were the only ones who existed. And now they're all gone."

"Wouldn't be the first time he's been wrong," Mickey said, and she smiled.

"I don't think he is on this, though," she said. "Mum's upset about it, too. I just know it'll help me figure out how to get back to him, and she just wants me to let it go."

"She's worried about you, too, Rose – we all are," Mickey said. She snorted.

"You don't need to," she said. She looked at her hands, flexing them quickly. They felt so cold – so empty. "We fought about it, earlier."

"I wasn't gonna say anything," he said, smiling at her. She glanced at him, her lips quirking slightly, before looking back to her hands.

"She wants me to forget him. Forget him and Torchwood and everything my life is and settle down. She wants me to go completely domestic," she said. He laughed.

"Now you're sounding like him," he said. He paused and grinned. "Then again, you always sound like him."

"Shut up," she said, smiling. He shook his head.

"I mean it, though, Rose. Jacks just wants you happy," he said. She paused for a moment, looking up at him with a weak sort of smile twisting her lips.

"So do I," she said, sighing. For Mickey, it was like a blow to the gut. "So do I."

– W –

It was almost two in the morning, and Rose's bedroom was appropriately dark. It was nearly silent, save the moans and rustle of fabric as the room's owner tossed and turned in her sleep. She reached out, trying to bat something only she could see away from her. Mumbled words left her lips, her face scrunching in confusion or frustration or pain – maybe a bit of each. She jerked, her head bumping against the headboard as her feet pushed her up and away from unseen terrors.

A soft humming filled the room, one that gave her pause as it filtered into her dream. She gasped and reached out, a whispered cry of "Doctor!" croaking past her lips. The humming continued, accompanied by a rolling noise. On her desk, the glass sphere moved; it started as wobbles and slowly increased to a spinning that soon made the sphere no more than a blur of motion. It twisted and turned, and inside the orange satellite pulsed and turned on its own, in a rotation opposite the bigger sphere. The golden-orange glow continued to pulse, glowing brighter and brighter as Rose began to fight her blankets, punching out at her assailant as she choked on cries of help for her missing Doctor. In her mind she heard him, heard the song of his wonderful TARDIS, but she couldn't see him. She was alone, so alone, in a darkness that clawed relentlessly at her skin.

In a split-second the sphere on her desk stopped, and the room erupted in a violent flash of golden light – just as her lips parted and an ear-piecing scream rent the silence.


	2. Everything's Changed

_**Mother Knows Best  
**__**Chapter Two: Everything's Changed**_

Jackie scrunched up her face against the sunlight flooding through her window. Her nose twitched at the warmth, and in an attempt to recapture those last few glorious moments of sleep she snuggled closer to her pillow. She frowned at that, wondering why the fabric of her pillowcase felt so scratchy, but brushed it off as just needing a good wash. Her frown only deepened, however, as a siren split the air. It grew closer until it passed, moving on to be replaced by crying babies and shouting couples. She heard a thump above her and again brushed it off, burying her head under the pillow as she continued to try and block it out.

It wasn't like this wasn't normal for her. Five years in a parallel world and most nights she still dreamed of life back on the council estates. For the longest time after Lilly was born Pete would have to answer her three A.M. wails, because she'd hear the crying and dismiss it as one of the babies down the hall. Those sounds had been life to her for years, so she figured it was only natural she couldn't entirely rid herself of them.

But this morning they just wouldn't leave. Even through her scratchy pillow and rough blankets (had the staff changed detergent?) she could still hear the noises, and another unreasonably loud _thump_ and enraged shout caused her to peep her eyes open. She froze, her blood chilling as she saw the old orange-red walls of her bedroom in the flat. The flat she had left behind in the old universe. The flat she had thought she would never see again.

She bolted up, panic flooding her as she gasped for breath. She looked around frantically; sure enough, it was her old room. Her old bed, her old blankets (had they always been this uncomfortable?), her old bobs and knobs littering the shelves. Ever her old clothes were still scattered across the floor. The only thing that was different – that really gave her pause – was the glass sphere sitting on her bedside table. She nearly stopped breathing as her eyes rested on it, brows soaring at the sight of the ball sitting so innocently next to the lamp.

She remembered it so clearly, though she had barely had a look at it before. It was the same ball Rose had been fussing over the previous night. What was it she had said? It was from the old universe, at least she had hoped it was. Because it looked Time Lord, and Time Lords didn't exist in their new home. Because if it was, it might have meant a chance to get back. And she had yelled at her, telling her to forget it and go to the party – and more fighting. She had done something….grabbed it, and said something…what was it again? _Honestly, sometimes I wish you'd never met the bloody Doctor!_

It was like the glass shattering, the sound reverberating in her skull, followed by an unearthly silence. She didn't even hear the shouts from the fighting couple upstairs as her eyes widened. Had Rose been right? Had this little trinket been her ticket back?

She reached over and gently picked up the ball, looking at it with fearful eyes. What had she done, and how was this involved? It offered no answers, staring up at her innocently from the palm of her hand.

"Pete," she called, her voice scratchy from sleep. She reached over in case he hadn't heard her, intending to shake him awake. Her hand fell through empty space and landed against the mattress, cold and unoccupied. She turned, a new fear clutching her heart as she saw the empty bed beside her. No Pete.

Her grip tightened on the ball as it dawned on her. If she was right…if this ball had taken them back, had acted on her careless words, then of course Pete wouldn't be there. He'd be in the other universe, and her first Pete would still be dead. It was an icy chill that settled over her then as she realized what it all meant.

No Doctor, no Pete. No Pete, no Lilly. Her new family had been ripped from her, and was it really her fault? Did the gadget really change everything just because of some off-hand, heat-of-the-moment comment she had shouted at Rose?

Rose. With a new panic Jackie scrambled out of her bed, fighting against the blankets that twisted around her. If Pete and Lilly were gone, then Rose…she had to know. Rose had to be there, had to be all right. Rose… She dropped the orb back by the lamp, forgetting it and its implications as she hurried from her room and down the short hall to the familiar door. It was closed, and the room beyond was silent. She bit her lip and pushed it open, freezing on the threshold at the disaster zone before her.

The room was empty. Her eyes scanned it quickly as she forced herself not to panic; there had to be a reason. She wasn't sent back alone – she couldn't have been. Noting the unmade bed and scattered clothes upon the floor, she took a deep breath. There was no need to worry – Rose was here. Glancing at the clock and noting it was nearly ten, she nodded and conceded that maybe Rose was at work. Would she still be working at Henrik's? Having met the Doctor or not, he had still probably blown the place up – or maybe she was at a friend's. Who, though? Mickey? Shireen? Kendra?

Still forcing herself not to panic, she made her way into the living room and picked the phone off its cradle. She took only a moment to think, digging back five years to remember the number to Rose's old mobile. Quickly punching it in, she pressed the phone to her ear as she began pacing. A chill raced down her spine on the solitary ring, and she didn't think it had anything to do with the cold of the flat. For what felt like the millionth time, her heart nearly stopped as the automated voice came on and informed her that the line had been disconnected.

Well, nothing to worry about there – right? People got new mobiles all the time, and the numbers usually changed. Maybe she just needed to find the new number. She cursed when she sorted through the papers by the phone to find nothing. Maybe Mickey had it – Mickey would, wouldn't he? Of course he'd have Rose's number. She plunked his number into the phone, but her heart tore again as another solitary ring followed by another automated voice reached her ears. Dropping the phone back in its cradle, she pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes and breathed.

None of this made any sense. If she was back here because of that ball, why wasn't Rose here, too? Where was she, and what exactly had that ball done? Oh, if she ever saw that Doctor again…he was in for one hell of a slap, that was for sure! She didn't know how, but it was all his fault; it had to be. It always was, and now because of him and his stupid Time Lords Rose was missing and…

Her mind screeched to a halt mid-rant as her eyes settled on a photo hung near the emergency numbers. Shireen and Kendra, with Rose squished in the middle and Mickey's thumb blotched near Shireen's head. She reached out and placed a hand over Rose's laughing face before snatching the phone back up and dialing Shireen's number. If anyone knew where to find Rose, Shireen would – those two were practically sisters!

She let herself calm down just a bit as the line rang, first once, then twice – four times before it clicked and a rushed "'Ello?" greeted her anxious ears. She cried out in relief at the voice – she hadn't heard it in five years, but nine years of scolding its owner had afforded it a familiarity she never thought she'd miss.

"Shireen, thank God!" she cried, missing the way the girl grew silent at her voice. She ignored the way she didn't offer a 'Morning, Jackie – how've you been?' as she sat on the arm of the sofa. "I'm so glad I reached you – Rose's missing, Shireen. She didn't come home last night, and I tried her mobile but it's been disconnected – Mickey, too. Do you know where she is, love? I'm out of my mind with worry – this isn't like her!"

She waited a full minute, which she thought very generous on her part, before calling the girl's name. Her nails drummed against the back of the sofa, her teeth worrying her lower lip as Shireen continued to not answer. She called her name again, and a startled "Uhh…" greeted her ears.

"Right, sorry, Jackie," Shireen said, but then she paused again. Jackie tried to ignore the icy tendrils once more gripping her chest. Maybe they had fallen out over another guy and she was just surprised she was calling?

"Shireen, do you know where Rose is or not?" she asked, and Shireen coughed.

"Jackie, um…I really don't have time for this now. We're really busy, and –" she started, but Jackie cut her off.

"Shireen, where's Rose?" she asked. There was no reason for her to be feeling this nervous. No reason at all. Rose was fine, and Shireen was just…

"Jackie, are you all right?" Shireen asked, and Jackie frowned. Well, what the hell did _that_ have to do with anything? "Really, though – you feeling ok?"

"Shireen, honestly! I'm fine – I'm just worried about Rose. Now for the last time, do you know where she is?" she asked, and her frown deepened at Shireen's sigh.

"Look, Jackie, you're at home, yeah?" she asked, and Jackie rolled her eyes as she said yes. "Stay there, ok? I'll call Bev, and she'll be over in a mo."

"What are you on about? Why are you calling Bev? I just want to know where Rose is!" she said, but hadn't even finished speaking before Shireen shouted a hurried "Just stay there!" and disconnected the call. Jackie pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it, her brows furrowing into her eyes as her teeth continued to bite down on her lip.

It wasn't right. Something had happened, and something in that happening had gone wrong – and somehow, she knew. She could blame the Doctor and his people and their stupid gizmos all she liked, but she still knew that somehow…this was all her fault. And she didn't even know what she had done.

– W –

Somewhere around fifteen minutes later Jackie was still sitting on the arm of the sofa, her hands still clutching the phone. Her eyes were focused on that photo of Rose, Shireen, and Kendra, her mind racing as it tried to sort out what had happened. Every time she'd think how much she needed Pete there, to hold her and tell her it was all right, a little voice would whisper at the back of her mind. _You don't have him now, do you?_ No, she didn't. _Because you had to open your big, fat mouth. Because you couldn't just be happy with Rose trying to be happy._ She wanted to slap herself, to scream, to cry…but all she did was sit there, staring at the photo like it held all the answers she needed (it didn't).

The door banged open, and she jumped as she looked towards it. Bev was bumbling in, a basket of laundry in her arms and some canvas bags hanging by her sides. She smiled warmly at Jackie, and her heart swelled at the sight of her old friend. Oh, how she had missed her! Bev kicked the door closed behind her, calling out a greeting before moving past her and into the kitchen. Jackie watched her, mouth open in an unasked question as Bev continued talking.

"Shireen sounded near 'nough outta her gourd, Jacks! Don't know what she was so fussy over – you look perfectly fine to me! Can't say the same for that ratty old shirt you're wearing, but – blimey, is your heat on the blink again? I called maintenance last time I was 'round, but I guess they haven't seen fit to fix it yet," Bev said, walking back out to her. Her arms were free of their previous load, and with an appraising look she clapped her hands on her shoulders.

"See? Look fine to me," she said. She frowned as she leveled her with a look. "She said you were asking after Rose?"

"Yes!" Jackie said, shaking her head as she came back to herself. Bev sighed and released her, heading back towards the kitchen. Jackie stood and followed her, frowning as Bev filled the kettle with some water and placed it on the stove. "I just want to know where she is, Bev, and Shireen wasn't a lick of good for it! Just told me to stay here and wait for you, and – why are you looking at me like that?"

"Jackie, sweetheart, have you taken your medicine today?" Bev asked, and Jackie snorted in indignation. She most certainly had not!

"What're you on about, Bev? I don't need no medicine! I just need to know where my daughter is!" she said, biting back the 'eldest' with a firm mental chant of 'only'. Only daughter – she'd have to get used to thinking like that again, wouldn't she? There was a pang deep in her chest as she thought back to Lilly and her sunshine smiles and messy hair. "I'm fine, Bev."

"I don't think you are, Jacks," Bev said as she turned back to the kettle. Jackie huffed and placed her hands on her hips.

"Honestly, Bev – what's going on? First Shireen, now you…why're you both acting like I'm outta my bleeding skull?" she asked, and she frowned as she noticed the resigned sag in Bev's shoulders. She was too afraid to ask what had happened, so she silenced herself as she waited for an answer she didn't think would come.

"You were asking after Rose and Mickey, love," Bev said. She looked back at her, her eyes pained. "Shireen said you even tried calling 'em."

"Of course I tried calling 'em," Jackie said, but she was unable to shout it like she normally would. It was a tickling in the back of her mind, telling her that whatever Bev had to say…whatever had happened to Mickey and Rose, she wasn't going to like it. "I don't know where Rose is, and I thought Mickey'd know when I couldn't reach her."

"Jackie…" Bev sighed, turning away from the stove and walking over to her. She placed her hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye, and the seriousness Jackie found there scared her. "Sweetheart, Mickey's dead, and Rose's…don't you remember, Jackie?"

– W –

Jackie had found she couldn't answer Bev's question. The icy fear had turned into a raging monster as soon as she had told her Mickey's fate, its claws sinking into her heart and stealing her breath as her world just…slipped away. Numb. She was numb. Horrified eyes had slipped from Bev's face as her old friend wrapped her in a comforting hug, falling to the linoleum floor. They landed on a stain that had been there for years, one Mickey had caused when he had decided to play chef with Rose so long ago. Seeing it had caused another stab, and she barely heard Bev's words of comfort as she shushed her and rubbed her back, holding her as she cried.

She hadn't meant for this to happen. She hadn't thought…it was just a simple wish. And was it, really? Was that what had caused all of this, her wishing…but it couldn't be. _No._ She didn't do this. It was just a silly little ball, probably like that Bazoolium Rose had brought her the last time she had come home to visit. It probably didn't do anything – a paperweight. That's what it was, a paperweight. It couldn't rewrite history. That was just silly…wasn't it?

But she had been involved with aliens for too long to really believe that. She had never directly stepped into their world – spare Canary Wharf, but she had been forced into it then – but she knew enough from assisting on the sidelines that it wasn't silly. Especially if that ball was from the Doctor's lot. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew – deep down – she had caused this. She had killed Mickey, and Rose…

Bev hadn't mentioned Rose as she wept. She wanted to ask if that meant she was dead, too, but she couldn't. Her heart was breaking, first from losing Pete and Lilly and now Mickey. How could she lose Rose, too? It was too much – and even if she hadn't known it would come true, she had made that wish wanting her to be happy! Nothing could backfire that royally, could it?

Her mind had raced with the unknowns and terrifying possibilities, even as Bev led her back to her room and helped her dress. She remained silent as Bev handed her her bag and led her out of the flat, down the steps, and to her car. She didn't fully register anything until a good twenty minutes later, when she found herself standing in a cemetery over a raised mound topped with a marble slab. It was weathered and worn – how long had it been there? She knew without looking at the name and before Bev spoke that it was Mickey's. Why else would they be here? And how long had he…her heart nearly stilled as she saw the date scrawled across from his birthday.

Canary Wharf.

Oh God, no…

"What…what happened?" she croaked, and Bev sighed. She gripped her shoulder in a comforting squeeze, but to Jackie it was a senseless motion.

"It was Canary Wharf," she said. Jackie shook her head, denying it even as the truth screamed in her face. _No!_

"But…Rose never…we weren't there, Bev! We weren't part of it!" she said, but she paused at the look Bev gave her. Calm and patient, understanding – but still so very pained.

"Jacks, _everyone_ was part of it. It was nearly the end of the world," she said. Jackie looked back to the marker, blinking furiously against the sting of tears. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair! He didn't even know the Doctor this time 'round, and he was _still_ dragged into his fight. She shuddered against the chill that raced up her spine at the thought; he had been on the list of the dead before, along with her and Rose. But at least then he had still been alive, even if it was in a parallel world. He had still been alive.

_Are you happy now, Jacqueline Tyler?_

"What….how…" she paused, closing her eyes as she breathed, unable to ask the question. Bev nodded in understanding and looked back to the grave.

"He was worried about you," she said. Another stab of guilt ripped through her at that. "When the ghosts turned out to be those metal men, he panicked. He knew you thought it was your dad coming back to visit, so he went to make sure you were ok. The thing had nearly killed you, and he fought it off. He killed it, but…"

"He killed himself, too," Jackie said, her voice a numb monotone that didn't sound at all like it should. Bev nodded, and Jackie closed her eyes again as she continued to breathe. Deep, slow, steady breaths – it wasn't helping. She felt like she was suffocating, and it was just…too much. Mickey was gone. Because of her. Because she had made that stupid wish, and because he had been worried the Cybermen would hurt her.

"I'll give you a mo," Bev said, putting a hand on her arm. Jackie nodded, and she walked back towards the car. She knelt beside the grave, putting a hand on the short grass and breathing through another sob.

"I'm sorry, Mickey," she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

He didn't deserve this. He deserved his life in the other world, with his sweet Addie and the family she'd no doubt have given him one day. He deserved to be alive, with her and Rose and…

Her blood chilled as Bev's words came back to her. _He went to make sure you were ok._ Her, not Rose. Why hadn't he come to check for Rose? Had Rose died in the battle, too? She didn't want to believe it; this was cruel, but that was far worse. If she still died, despite being uninvolved…no. She couldn't – wouldn't – believe that. She wouldn't.

"I'm sorry," she said again, placing a kiss on her hand and pressing it to the grave. She stood, brushing off her skirt and turning from the boy she had viewed for so long as a son. She found Bev by the car, looking out over the cemetery with her arms hugging herself against the cold wind. She stopped before her and fixed her gaze on her. She needed answers.

"Bev," she said, and the other woman gave her a wary look. "I have to know. Where's Rose?"

– W –

Jackie didn't know where Bev was taking her now. "To Rose," she had said as they climbed back into the car, and that was that. The ride was silent; it did nothing for her racing, guilt-laden mind, but Bev refused to talk. She wouldn't say where they were going – where Rose was – or even how Rose was. Just "To Rose," and then she had left her to her thoughts. She knew, though, that she wouldn't like it. She was finding she didn't like a lot of things about her first world now that it had changed.

She didn't have Pete. She didn't have Lilly. She didn't even have Mickey. And now Rose…

Her stomach fell clear to her feet as Bev turned into the parking structure next to the Royal Hope Hospital. Her insides churned and clenched, and for a moment she honestly thought she would be sick. She couldn't do this. She couldn't do this, she couldn't…

"Bev, why are we here?" she asked, her voice echoing worlds of calm she didn't entirely feel. Bev sighed as she pulled into a space and turned the car off.

"We're here to see Rose," she said. Jackie shook her head in outright denial.

"No," she said. "No."

"Jacks…" Bev started, but she shook her head again.

"Tell me what happened," she said, turning to look at her. "I'm not moving until you tell me what happened."

Bev sighed with a practiced patience, and Jackie wondered just how many times they had been through this. Bev put her hand on her arm and smiled at her.

"Come on, Jacks," she said. "I'll explain on the way."

They were at the lifts before Bev said anything. She pressed a finger to the arrow pointing up, and as they waited they lapsed back into that uneasy silence. Jackie turned to her and started to question her when she finally opened her mouth.

"It was nearly four years ago," she said. Jackie looked to the silver doors, her face neutral. It wasn't hard to hold the expression; she was still slightly numb from Bev's first confession. "Rose left for work, and she never came home. You thought she was just running late, and then Henrik's exploded and…the police said it was a gas leak, but I've seen gas leaks and they don't look like that. You went out of your mind with worry – started calling everyone she knew to see if she was with them."

"Was she?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Bev shook her head.

"They didn't think anyone was inside the building – maybe janitorial, since the place had just closed, but they weren't expecting many. They found her the next morning near the basement – said it was a miracle she was still alive. But she wasn't conscious. She hasn't been since."

"She's…" Jackie choked as the doors pinged open. They stepped inside and Bev nodded as the doors slid shut.

"She's still alive, Jackie," she said. "She's been in a coma ever since."

Jackie closed her eyes, feeling the tears slip past her lids as she clenched her jaw against the burning in her throat. She felt the lift start to rise and breathed, but she no longer found the action very calming. She opened her eyes and stared at her reflection in the metal doors. Glancing at Bev, she thought back to her earlier questions as she noticed how calm her friend looked. Pained, torn – but calm nonetheless.

"How often do you have to tell me this, Bev?" she finally asked. Bev sighed and looked at the floor. "Don't lie to me, Bev – you were always a piss poor liar. How often?"

"At least once a week," Bev finally said, and Jackie sucked in a breath. Bev sighed again, but she wouldn't look at her. "After Mickey…it was hard enough when you lost Rose, Jacks, but after Mickey you…well, you lost a bit more of your mind than usual. Most days you get by ok – you take your medicine, and it's all all right. But…you like to pretend."

"That it never happened?" Jackie asked, and Bev nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, love – we…we kind of get used to it, you know?" she asked. Jackie didn't want to point out that no one should ever 'get used to' their friend denying reality.

She didn't speak the rest of the way to Rose's room. She couldn't. Mentally, she tried to prepare herself for whatever she might see when they got there, but she knew it was no use. When they finally reached her door and she saw her, lying so still and peaceful on that bed, she knew she would never be ready to see something like this. The tears she had been forcing back since the cemetery broke free as she choked back a cry, and as Bev stood a silent sentry by the door she ran to her daughter.

She was so pale, and her hair was darker than she had seen it in years. Back to its original shade, that muddy blonde that was practically brown. Long – down past her shoulders, the longest it had ever been. Her eyes were still beneath her lids, her lips pulled in an unresponsive frown. Wires and tubes ran from her, snaking trails under her blanket and up her arms.

"Oh, sweetheart," she choked, running a hand along the side of her face and cupping her cheek as she sobbed, "what have I done to you?"

All those years ago, when she had first learned who the Doctor truly was and that Rose planned to stay with him, she had never thought she had a choice. This was what Rose wanted, and as much as she hated it she'd have to let it be. Rose would learn eventually, and she'd come home; it would be Jimmy Stones all over again, but she would heal and they'd be back to life as normal. She never thought she'd ever have the chance to say 'No, you can't go traveling with him.'

But she had been given the choice. Beyond all understandable plays and reasons, she had been given the choice. It had never been up to her, and with one flippant sentence – one stupid wish she wanted so badly to take back – she had written him out of their history. She hadn't wanted Rose to hurt, not anymore. She hadn't…

Again she ran her hand over her daughter's face, and again she sobbed as she buried her head against the arm she was clasping the hand of. She hadn't wanted Rose to hurt anymore. She hadn't wanted her grieving over the one alien she'd never see again.

But…she hadn't wanted this, either.


	3. A RoseShaped Hole

_**Mother Knows Best  
**__**Chapter Three: A Rose-Shaped Hole**_

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Copper," the Doctor said, smiling to himself as he pushed open the door to the TARDIS. He stepped inside, still grinning despite everything as he heard the funny old man from Stow run off. The door clicked shut behind him and he reached up, brushing the ash off his leather jacket before brushing some more out of his cropped hair. Not a bad eye, that one – maybe, if things had been different, he could have offered to take him along.

The thought was quickly cast aside as he walked up the ramp to the controls, reminding himself of all that had brought him here. The Master, running into his fifth self (had he always been that arrogant?), crashing into…no, wait – the Titanic crashing into him. All just reaffirming the reasons he had stopped traveling with companions. The last really good day he had had – the last time he had seen a place without anyone dying or getting hurt or things just turning out fantastic – had been the Blitz, and even that had its dark marks (a certain conman named Jack Harkness immediately came to mind).

He flipped a switch and sent the TARDIS into the vortex, shaking off the thoughts of Jack Harkness and how much he owed him. He hated to think that way, but the man really was a bad penny – every time something that had the potential to kill him happened, he'd show up. Satellite Five, Canary Wharf, the Master…the man had bailed him out more times than he liked to recall, especially considering how much he just couldn't stand him. He was willing to admit, however, that Jack Harkness couldn't be all bad; the man had traveled around the globe for a year telling people he'd save them from 'their lord and' Master, after all.

Settling into the jump seat, he couldn't stop himself from wondering where Jack was at the moment. The last time he saw him, Jack had said he was working for Torchwood. He wasn't crazy about that, as his history with the institute led him to believe they were one disaster after another, but a tiny part of him – one that he couldn't understand and for some reason felt out of place – said Jack would turn it around. Torchwood was in good hands with Jack at the helm, and he wasn't saying that lightly. He still hated the man.

The TARDIS hummed around him, and he grinned up at the central column.

"Good to see you, too," he said, patting the seat next to him. Really, what he needed as a good couple of days inside. There were still some repairs that needed done – some minor things he hadn't seen to while fixing her from the Master's cannibalization – and he needed some slow days. Maybe some time to think – to get his bearings back. Losing the Master…it had been enough of a shock to find he was still alive, and in spite of everything that could label them enemies he had been glad to see his old friend. For the first time since Gal…since his people died, he had felt a spark of hope. A hope that had been quickly snuffed out by that stupid ape the Master had chosen to marry, and then Astrid and everyone else on that bloody liner…yeah, a few days to recover were exactly what he needed.

But first, a sandwich!

He hopped off the jump seat, adjusting his jacket and pulling it closer to him as he brushed off the unpleasant thoughts. He wouldn't concern himself with them now; what he needed was something fantastic, and right now a sandwich sounded like the most fantastic thing in the universe. And sandwich and a cuppa. Yes, that sounded absolutely fantastic!

He grinned as he headed off towards the kitchen, but he paused by the railing near the hall. Now, _that_ was weird. He walked over to the railing and reached out, his hand brushing over what looked like a shirt hanging like it had always belonged there. The fabric was purple – a few shades of it, really – and it looked…familiar. It wasn't supposed to be there – he knew it wasn't – but it still felt like it should.

He picked it up and held it before him, looking it over with a raised brow. Purple, and definitely a female shirt. He blinked against the tickling in his mind, the bottle-blonde hair and a smile a part of him felt he would die for (die for? Where did _that_ come from?!). It was a quick flash, but enough to make him drop the shirt. He shook his head, denying the images and the warmth that flooded through him at the sight of the blonde.

He must have missed it, in his first go-around of the ship. It was Lucy's (that was her name, if he remembered correctly) – it had to be. He didn't wear purple shirts, at least not ones like that, and he didn't travel with anyone. There was no one onboard who would wear a shirt like that, so it had to be Lucy's. The Master's…wife. (He shuddered again at that thought; he couldn't imagine it, being married – now that really was domestic!)

He gave it a final glance, trying his best to ignore the nudge in the back of his mind that told him it wasn't Lucy's. The nudge that whispered a name, one he felt he should know but couldn't place, and called for him to remember.

Remember? Remember what?

_Rose._

He brushed it off, waving the shirt aside as he turned on his heel and headed for the galley. He was just being ridiculous.

– W –

Half an hour later the Doctor was finished his sandwich and feeling like a good book. Picking up his mug he left the galley and turned left outside the door, heading towards the library. He was half-way there when he saw something else that made him pause. Right next to the door to his seldom-used bedroom, another something that he had no memory of but caused the niggling in the back of his mind to scream on full-alert. Something that didn't belong yet should never be anywhere else.

He stood outside the garishly pink door, his mug raised to his lips and blue eyes narrowed in an icy stare. Something wasn't right. Something couldn't be right, not if things kept popping up like they were with him remembering them but not. It was just…off. Weird. And he didn't like it.

He put his mug on the floor and stepped towards the door, placing a hand against it as he frowned. Out of the corner of his eye, golden tendrils swirled and pulsed around the pink, hugging it and caressing it in an almost loving manner.

_Think __what you look like to them, all…__pink and yellow._

He blinked against the voice, taking a step back from the door. The light vanished from his eyes, but somehow he knew it was still there. The TARDIS hummed behind him, reassuring and calm – it was all right. But…something was broken. He could feel it, hear it, on the barest levels from her. Something was wrong, and he needed to fix it. But what did this door have to do with that?

_Rose_.

He jumped at the whisper, the same voice from when he had found that shirt. But…his eyes locked on a plaque hanging on the door, the name 'Rose' scrawled across it in flowery letters. His frown deepened; he knew that name, didn't he? But why couldn't he remember?

The TARDIS hummed mournfully behind him as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was…well, 'messy' was putting it nicely. The bed was unmade, and clothes lay scattered across the floor where they had been carelessly tossed by their owner. Shelves lined the coral walls, each littered with different knickknacks and photos and what he guessed were souvenirs from who knew where. He picked a pink hoody off the chair seated by the vanity, rubbing his fingers over the fabric and pausing at the flashes that filled his mind. A blonde – the same he had seen when he held that purple shirt – laughing and grabbing his hand as they ran for their lives. Clinging to him in fear as they stood under an impossibility, hugging him like he was a lifeline when they escaped it. He dropped it a moment later, staring with wide eyes at the mirror topping the table and the photographs lining it. More picture frames stood by its base, interspersed with makeup and brushes and other primping items.

His eyes stayed fixed on the photos lining the mirror, however, as he took one from near the top. A girl – the blonde he kept seeing – was sitting on the console, throwing a victory sign to whoever was taking the picture. He assumed it was Jack (though he had no idea why he was there, of all people), who stood next to her with one arm thrown across her shoulders and the other stretched out off-screen like it was holding the camera. He stood on her other side, arms folded over his chest and giving Jack an amused look as the captain shouted something that made the blonde laugh. He couldn't help but notice how close he stood to the girl, or how protective – possessive, really – he seemed to be of her.

Another one nearly across from it caught his eye, and he plucked it away from its spot under a playbill. There were many around the room just like it, of the blonde and this man in a pinstriped suit. Some had been taken of them – like the one by her bed with them smiling at the camera and hugging each other, paper crowns on their heads and what looked like a Christmas tree behind them – but some, like the one in his hand, he figured had been found after they had been snapped. Some looked like random news clippings, and some were photographs – but all containing those two, and all spontaneous. There was a pang in his hearts as he looked at them, a relieved sort of guilt he couldn't exactly explain flooding him at their happiness. He didn't know who the strange man was, but something told him he was lucky. Fantastically lucky, and he didn't even know it.

He looked back to the other photos, frowning as he took them all in. He paused as he saw one with Mickey – no, _Ricky_ – Smith in it, hugging the girl and smiling at the camera like he was holding the world (a tiny voice he didn't recognize in the back of his mind told him he was). He frowned as he ran a finger over the man's face; it just didn't make sense. Ricky was from that parallel world, so how did he know the blonde? His eyes narrowed on another one then, placed not far below one of the ones with Ricky. Pete Tyler, another face from the parallel world, held an older blonde woman; they were both smiling at the camera, and a baby wrapped in purple was in the woman's arms. A news clipping of Pete – looking more like the one he had known, older and in a suit and tonic wink and everything – was placed next to it, the word 'alive' and a heart scribbled hastily on it in red pen.

He looked down to the tabletop, glancing at the other photos and frowning at the open containers of makeup before he froze. Sitting in the center of the vanity, on the only clear space amidst the clutter, was the psychic paper. The wallet was opened, and a message was flashing across the normally blank surface. He picked it up, the TARDIS humming in encouragement as he read over the note.

_ROYAL HOPE HOSPITAL – 4215_

He knew that hospital – he had been on it not long ago when it had been transferred to the moon. But why go there?

_COME SOON, MY DOCTOR._

He looked away from the wallet and around the room, and for a moment he would have sworn he heard the sound of a girl's laughter. He looked back to the paper and sighed, stuffing it into his pocket along with the two photos he still held in his hand.

He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that somehow he was involved. And Jack (fan-bloody-tastic…), and this blonde who he guessed was named Rose. He stopped by the door, nearly doubling over as another vision assailed him. He caught his hands on the frame, swinging forward and gasping as in his mind he saw the girl but not, golden energy swirling around her and making her look…terrifying and beautiful all at once.

_"I want you safe, my Doctor."_

His hands tightened on the doorframe as he gasped, the vision fading but a deep sense of fear lurking in its place. That girl…what had she done? He growled as he shoved himself away from her room (it shouldn't be there!), stalking down the hall and towards the console room.

Right, then. Looks like he had an appointment at a hospital.

– W –

There were, Jack Harkness decided, few sounds in the universe more annoying than the _tika-tika-tika_ of a keyboard. There were also few jobs more annoying and menial than paperwork, and he had the rotten luck of being stuck with both. His hands flew over the keys, years of practiced skill showing as his eyes roamed over the forms flashing on his screen. Just as he'd finish a certain form, he'd hit send and a new one would pop up.

Stupid rift. Stupid Doctor for opening said stupid rift back in 1869. Stupid Torchwood for making him head over the base that monitored the stupid rift the stupid Doctor had opened. No, wait – stupid Doctor for pissing off Queen Victoria and making her start stupid Torchwood that made him head over the base that monitored the stupid rift the (still) stupid Doctor had opened.

Granted, it wasn't all bad. Paperwork was just the bits in between, but it was still the most menial, boring, annoying task he had ever been asked to do. And as the head of Torchwood 3, he was expected to do it. Of course, he could always shove it off on Owen and say it was his job, but he wasn't that mean. Well…ok, he was (sorta), but Owen would never get it done. He still had paperwork of his own backlogged three months. This was actually the first time any of them had had to sit down and catch up on it, or at least most of them. The rift had been going haywire ever since the Year that Never Was (stupid old classmate of the stupid Doctor nearly destroying the whole world with his stupid paradox machine), and for the past few months they had been busy trying to keep it under control while keeping the denizens of Cardiff unawares – and that honestly wasn't as easy as it sounded. On the rare occasion of a slow day, like today, they were all expected to catch up on their paperwork.

Except for Tosh. Stupid Tosh and her stupid computer skills and stupid ability to not sleep that kept her on top of her stupid paperwork.

"Sir," he jumped as Ianto called him, knocking on the door to his office and popping his head in. He nodded at him, trying his best to act like he hadn't just been sending the (stupid) computer death threats with his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair as Ianto entered the room. He quirked a brow at him as he noticed a strange looking doll in his hand, which Ianto quickly placed on his desk. "What is that?"

"It was in the post for you, sir," he said, shrugging slightly. "There was nothing saying who it was from, just that it needed to go to you."

"It's…what is it?" Jack asked, rocking forwards in his chair and poking the strange purple doll. It looked like an elephant, but it had three trunks and four eyes. It was smiling a big toothy grin beneath its trunks, waving and almost looking like it was laughing. A yellow ribbon was tied around its neck, a folded paper tucked under it.

"I don't know, sir," Ianto said, and Jack grinned in amusement as he tipped the elephant-thing over only to have one of the trunks push it back up. He looked up at Ianto and grinned.

"Thanks," he said. "I needed the break."

Ianto nodded and left the room, and Jack turned back to the doll. He took the paper from its neck and unfolded it to find a photograph. He paused at that, his eyes widening at the scene before him. He had no memories of it, and – as he was in the photo – he apparently should. The rational part of his mind told him that maybe it was taken during those two years the Time Agency stole – maybe someone was trying to help him recover them? – but the Doctor was also in the photo, and he knew he hadn't met the Doctor until after those two years. What's more, he knew the Doctor really didn't like him, and this photo suggested…well, that they were…friends. Good friends, from the looks of it. And who was the blonde girl?

His eyes roamed over it once more, taking it in. The purple doll was in the Doctor's hands, and he was grinning (he had never seen Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass look that happy before) at the blonde. The girl was laughing, gushing over the doll as he – Jack – tried to…it looked like he was trying to tickle her. Behind them was a carnival of some sort, and judging by the blue-skinned people behind them he was guessing it was off-world. He flipped the photo over and frowned at the note scrawled on the back.

_Fairgrounds on Aluminus 9 – right before Jack got sick from too much candyfloss. Doctor wouldn't let him back in the TARDIS 'til the next day so he wouldn't get sick all over her – the good captain found a room with the owner's daughter, inspiring our next bout of Running for Our Lives the next morning._

There was a smiley face and a heart ending the note, and his frown deepened as he turned the photograph back over. He looked at the blonde, and while he studied her a chill raced down his spine. She was familiar – painfully so, but he couldn't place her. There was a pain in his chest when he saw her, accompanied by an ominous niggling in the back of his mind. She was important, but something…why did he feel like he would lose – had lost – her? Like she was even his to lose in the first place, and that someone else close to him – the Doctor? – had lost her, too?

_You are worth fighting for._

Another chill raced down his spine at the words. He didn't remember ever saying them. He didn't…

He paused as he saw a small red booklet tucked into the back of the doll's ribbon. He pulled it out and flipped it open, pausing at the photo of the blonde inside. A passport – Rose Tyler. Another shiver at the name, and he kept reading through the information. She wasn't that old – around twenty-four, from the looks of it (though the picture looked younger – nineteen, maybe?). Her home was listed at a council estate in East London – the Powell Estates. He closed the booklet and shoved it and the photo back into the ribbon, standing from his desk and shrugging his greatcoat on. He stuffed the doll into a pocket and stalked out of his office.

"Ianto!" he called, hurrying down the steps and towards the lift. Ianto was by his side in a flash with a prompt "Yes, sir?" Jack didn't slow. "When Gwen gets back form lunch, tell her she's in charge until I get back."

"Where are you going, sir?" Ianto asked. Jack stopped before the lift, giving him a grin and a wink.

"I've got a date," he said. Ianto paused, fumbling slightly.

"A…a date, sir?" he asked, and Jack nodded.

"And if Owen tries to come back in before that cold's cleared up, shoot him," he said, stepping onto the lift. "I really don't need the rest of you getting sick right now."

"But, sir – where are you going?" Ianto called, and Jack rolled his eyes. He liked the man, he really did – but sometimes he wished he'd just…back off. Just a bit.

"The Powell Estates!"

– W –

Jackie had been awake for a good hour now. One glance at her clock told her it was nearly noon, but…she didn't want to get up. She didn't want to be awake in this world, where she could hear the babies crying and know they weren't her own. Where police sirens blared down the street and her bed sheets were scratchy, and that couple upstairs woke her at three AM with their drunken fights. She wanted her three-AM wake-up call to be Lilly at her door, asking if she could sleep in her room because she'd had a bad dream. She wanted Pete, holding her and telling her everything would be ok. She wanted to know that Rose was just down the hall, probably asleep at her desk with files and gizmos sprawled around her. She wanted to know that Mickey wasn't much farther, curled up peacefully with Addie.

Did Addie even exist in this world, or did she go by some other name like the other world's Ricky? Did Jake even exist here?

Another sob caught in her throat, but she pushed it back; she had cried too much the previous day. She didn't want to anymore, just like she didn't want to be here. And there, on her bedside table and right in her line of sight, sat that blasted little ball. Her eyes bore into it, glaring a hole into the orange planet resting at its center. In each curve of the clocklike script she saw flashes of how things should be, of Rose and Mickey and Pete and Lilly and everything she had wished away like it hadn't meant a thing. But she hadn't meant it, and that was the only thought that kept her sane.

But really, why bother? She was supposed to be mad here anyway. Why go along with the part?

She turned her head away and buried it in the pillow, choking back her tears. She didn't want to admit it, but she needed the Doctor. She had no idea what to do with that ball, or how to fix this, or…she needed him. She needed him to swan in with his 'I'm-so-Clever' schemes and save the day – save her Rose and Mickey. She didn't even know if he could fix this, but she had to believe it. She had to believe he could, because Rose had. Rose had believed he could do anything, and right now that blind faith was exactly what she needed. That and some sodding way to contact the alien git.

There was a knock from somewhere in the flat, and she stirred slightly. She would say it was Bev, but Bev had stayed over the night before. "Just to make sure you're all right, love," she had said. She heard her then, calling to whoever was knocking and saying she was coming, and frowned. Who would bother her now, if Mickey was gone and Rose was…Shireen, maybe? Maybe she was still worried over yesterday. But…

"What d'you want?" Bev asked harshly, and Jackie jumped at the response.

"Hi – Jack Harkness, from the Torchwood Institute. I'm looking for someone who's supposed to live here – do you know her?" a male voice asked, and Jackie leapt from her bed. Jack! Jack Harkness, that captain Rose had talked so much about! She laughed as she raced from the room, not even bothering with decency or her dressing gown as she skidded into the hall. She didn't know why he was there, or how he'd know to come after she cocked everything up, but surely he'd know how to fix it, right? Or at least how to help!

"That's Rose," Bev said, looking at the photograph he had handed her. She looked up at him – and my, she didn't remember Rose saying he was that handsome! – and started to question him when Jackie reached her. She put a hand on Bev's shoulder and looked at the captain, the first spark of hope she had felt since waking in this hell of a world the morning prior glowing inside of her.

"_Captain_ Jack Harkness?" she asked, and the man nodded at her. She laughed again. "The conman from the Blitz?"

"Er…yes?" Jack guessed, and Jackie gave a shout and clapped. Bev sighed and gave her a long-suffered look before turning to Jack.

"I'm sorry, she's not had her medication yet, and –" she started, but Jackie slapped her arm before placing her hands on her hips.

"Oh, come off it, would you!" she snapped. "I don't need no sodding medication – I'm perfectly fine!"

"You said he's a captain from the Blitz, Jackie! And you call that fine?" Bev asked, raising a brow at her.

"Bev, that's Captain Jack! He's friends with Rose – he can fix this!" Jackie said. She didn't notice the way Jack started at the name, and she probably wouldn't have cared if she had.

"Jackie, what are you on about? Fix what? It's a coma, Jacks. There is no fixing it! She's got to wake up on her own," Bev said, but Jackie screamed and pointed out the door.

"Oh, sod it – get out!" she snapped. Bev paused and looked at her, concern on her face, but Jackie wouldn't back down. "I said get out, Bev! If you're not gonna be of any help then just leave! I know you think I'm mad, but I'm not. I'm not, Bev!"

"Could have fooled me," Bev said, settling her hands on her hips. "There's no way I'm leaving you with this pretty-boy, Jacqueline Tyler. I'm not leaving you when you're in such a state!"

"I'm not in a state, and you most certainly will!" Jackie said. Bev paused a moment, her eyes still narrowed on her, before looking to Jack.

"I live not five minutes away," she said harshly. "My number's by the phone, but I swear if you hurt her…"

Bev gave him another warning look before scooping up her bag and shoving her way past him. When she was out of sight, Jack turned back to Jackie and frowned.

"Can you help me?" she asked him, and his frown deepened as he handed her the photo and passport.

"I was hoping you could help me," he said. She looked at the photo, her eyes wide as she recognized the Doctor. She didn't understand how it had survived, but…she looked up at him as he continued. "Those arrived at my desk this morning, along with the doll in the photo. Like I told your friend, I work for Torchwood – I'm used to some pretty weird stuff. But this…I don't remember that photo or your daughter, Mrs. Tyler. But…"

"She's familiar, isn't she?" Jackie asked, looking up at him. He paused and nodded, and she sighed. She put a hand on his arm, leading him into the flat. "Come on, then – I've some explaining to do. I'll make you a cuppa."

– W –

Jackie put her mug down, biting her lower lip as she looked at the captain. He was sitting back in the chair, his eyes wide and stunned as he stared into his still-full mug. She knew that look on his face; he was about to pronounce her mad and flee from the flat. She just knew he would.

"So…let me get this straight," he said, his look shifting to one of concentration. "I met Rose and the Doctor during the Blitz, where I was trying to con them into buying this useless ship. I saved them by moving this bomb, which should have killed me, but Rose convinced the Doctor to save me and then keep me around. We traveled together until I did die on Satellite Five, but Rose survived and kept traveling with him until Canary Wharf. Where she got pulled into a parallel world with you and this Mickey guy, but now she's in a coma and he's dead because you had this gadget from the Doc's people that rewrote history. And you have this gadget with you now?"

"Yes!" Jackie said, leaping from her seat and heading back towards her room. She returned a moment later, the glass sphere in hand. She gave it to Jack, who turned it around as he studied it with narrowed eyes.

"It's all gone wrong, Jack," she said, sitting back down. "I…I didn't mean to say it, but if I had known…I thought not meeting the Doctor would've made things better. And it's all gone wrong. I don't even care anymore if he broke her heart – at least in the other world she was alive!"

Jack looked at her, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He didn't know what the sphere did, but it was obvious it was Time Lord – and maybe it did have something to do with this woman's…well, he couldn't really call it insanity, could he? That photograph proved he couldn't.

"Do you still know him, Jack? Can you contact him for me?" Jackie asked, and he looked at her. "The Doctor, Jack. I know he can fix this – he has to!"

"I…to be honest, Jackie, I don't know. Even if I did get in touch with him, I don't know if he'd help. He…he doesn't really like me," he said. Jackie looked him over, her frown deepening.

"Well, what d'you mean by that?" she asked, and he sighed again.

"The Blitz," he said calmly, "was…pretty much like what you said. He…wasn't happy with me. It was my fault, and he was ready to let me pay for it, but…he came back for me. He told me that everybody lived that day, and he was going to make sure that 'everybody' meant 'everybody' – even me. He dropped me off afterwards, though."

"But…don't you still know him? You work for Torchwood, you said – Canary Wharf…" Jackie started, but he shook his head.

"I was there at Satellite Five, too – fighting the Daleks. Random act of dumb luck that kept us both alive. As for Torchwood, I'm stationed in Cardiff – but I was there at Canary Wharf. I helped him send the Daleks and Cybermen into the Void, and to say thanks Torchwood offered me a job," he said. He shoved a hand through his hair and leaned back in the chair. "Last I saw him was…well, the 'Year that Never Was'. Old school friend of his went crazy and tried to destroy the world."

"But…I thought he was the last one? All his people dead?" Jackie asked, and Jack nodded.

"Apparently he hid out as a human at the end of the universe," he said. "I don't know how – the Doc didn't tell me much. But I went around the world for a year telling people he'd save 'em, and he did. Turned back time and stopped the Master in his tracks. I haven't seen him since, but I was told he was involved in that spaceship thing last week."

"What spaceship thing?" Jackie asked, and he nodded.

"Right…parallel world, just got here yesterday – you wouldn't know. Spaceship nearly crashed into the palace. I was told he was at the helm making sure it didn't," Jack said. "They cleared out London because of its history with Christmas. Two years ago the Sycorax invaded, last year it was that ship that looked like a star blowing everything up – this year people left town before anyone got hurt. I was told they just got back in a few days ago."

"Even when he's not involved with my Rose he still causes trouble," Jackie said, sniffing lightly. Jack frowned.

"Sorry?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"Rose was with him during that Sycorax mess – people on the roofs, yeah? Sorry sod was sleeping through most of it – up and changed his face, then had the nerve to just get sick like that!" she said. She sighed and shook her head, pressing her hands to her eyes. "I shouldn't…I'm sorry. I'm just confused right now."

"Can we go see Rose?" Jack asked, and she looked at him. "Right now? Can we go see her? I might be able to figure some of this out if I do."

"You got a car?" she asked, and he held up his keys. She smiled and nodded. "I'll go and get dressed."

– W –

"No, I'm sorry, Tish," Martha Jones said into her mobile, groaning as her sister continued to rant on about all the reasons she should join her for lunch. She handed some charts to the nurse behind the desk, mouthing a "Thanks!" as she was given another three in turn. She flipped open the first chart as she turned, heading back down the hall of the Royal Hope Hospital. "Look, tell Mum I'm sorry, but we're swamped today – everyone's back from the evacuation and it's completely barmy in here! Yes, I'll meet you for dinner – I'm sure Tom would love it, honest. Now I have to go – yes, I will! Goodbye, Tish!"

She sighed, laughing slightly as she slipped her mobile back in her pocket. She just had to get through the day, and then she could worry about convincing Tom to join her at another family dinner. The last time had been a disaster, with Annalise officially ending her time as her dad's girlfriend when she had hit on Tom. They had laughed about it later, but he had still been slightly weirded out by the idea.

She looked up from her chart, turning the corner to head to her next checkup (Rose Tyler, a comatose girl a few rooms down – shouldn't be too hard). She froze as her eyes landed on the man in the leather jacket talking to Dr. Swales. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized him, her lips set in a tight frown. The Doctor.

Great. Absolutely fantastic.

"Oh, Dr. Jones, look who it is – Mr. Smith!" Swales said as she walked over to them. She gave a tight smile to her before turning on 'Mr. Smith'.

"Leave, now," she said, and the Doctor frowned at her.

"Hello to you, too, then," he said. She shifted her charts to one arm, placing her free hand on her hip as she glared at him.

"I mean it," she said. He quirked a brow at her.

"I'll just be…going, I'm going," Swales said, smiling politely at the Doctor before heading the opposite way. Martha nodded at him.

"All right then, why're you here? How're you gonna get me killed this time?" she asked, and he scoffed.

"I hardly think that's an accurate assumption," he said. "You look fantastic to me."

"Today's been really busy, and I'm not in the mood for jokes, mister," she said. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm just checking on an old friend," he said. At her incredulous look he sighed. "Honestly!"

"Last time you were in here we ended up on the moon, everyone nearly dying because we ran out of oxygen!" she hissed. "Then you show up at Tish's boss's benefit, and he turns into some bloody scorpion monster! People died, Doctor!"

"I know," he said, his smile vanishing.

"Then you can't expect me to believe you're here just for a checkup," she said.

"But I am," he pressed. "Old friend of mine – called me just this morning."

"All right then, who?" she asked, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo. He handed it to her, and she froze, her frown twisting in confusion. "That's…that's Rose Tyler…."

"Room 4215?" he asked, but Martha didn't look at him. She nodded, putting a hand on the photo and frowning.

"When was this taken?" she asked, but he stuffed it back into his pocket. He looked around, trying to gauge which direction to head in, before nodding.

"Then that's who I need to see," he said. She looked at him, her face drawn in a confused frown while she shook her head.

"But…that's impossible," she said. "You can't."

"I can, and I will," he said, looking at her. "Need to talk to her. So which way do I go?"

"But you can't," she said, shaking her head. "It's not possible. Doctor, Rose Tyler has been in a coma for four years."

He watched her for a moment, frowning as he processed her news. He reached back into his pocket and pulled out the psychic paper. Flipping it open, he frowned when he saw the message was still flashing. He looked at her, his face a hardened mask, and she felt the slightest shiver of fear race down her spine.

"Take me to her," he said, and she nodded. She didn't want to, and she knew she'd probably regret it, but when he got that look in his eyes…she knew she had no choice.

– W –

Jackie glanced at Jack, who was standing by Rose's bedside with a torn look on his face. She knew it had to be hard on him; he didn't remember her, but there was still a part of his mind that was fighting to. A part that didn't want to let go of her, and maybe that part had been strong enough to fight against that alien gizmo. She didn't know; she didn't feel like she knew much of anything right now. She jumped as she heard the door open, and she looked up see the Doctor – Rose's first Doctor, of all people! – standing just inside the room with a young doctor behind him.

"Doctor!" she cried, jerking up in her seat, but he didn't look at her. He didn't even look to Rose, his eyes narrowing on Jack in an annoyed glare.

"Why," he asked, folding his arms over his chest in that stance that used to be so familiar, "am I not surprised to find you involved in all this?"


	4. How it Should Be

_**Mother Knows Best  
**__**Chapter Four: **__**How it **__**Should**__** Be**_

_"Why," he asked, folding his arms over his chest in that stance that used to be so __familiar,__ "am I not surprised to find you involved in all this?"_

Jack's eyebrows soared as the Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph, holding it up for him to see – another one, just with a different scene, of the three of them – Jack, the Doctor, and this mysterious Rose that tied them together. Did the Doctor even know? He grinned as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the photo that had come to him with the doll.

"I told you you really do like me," he said, winking. The Doctor rolled his eyes and walked over to the bed, standing on the opposite side as he leveled Jack with a hard stare. He held out a hand expectantly, and Jack handed him the photo. He looked it over, frowning as he studied the scene, comparing it to the photo he had brought. "What do you think it means, Doc?"

"I think it means someone's been mucking about in the timelines," he said, finally glancing to the girl on the bed. He paused, his hands tightening on the photos as he saw the same golden tendrils from the room floating around her.

_There's__ me._

"Doc?" Jack asked, concern turning his lips as he saw the man freeze. The Doctor reached out with his free hand, brushing some hair behind her ear in an almost reverent manner. He called his name again, and the Doctor jumped, drawing his hand back like he had been burned. "What do you mean, 'someone's been mucking about in the timelines'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like I mean," the Doctor said, and Jack had the impression he wanted to roll his eyes at him. He handed the carnival photo back to him, looking instead to Jackie. A shiver raced down his spine, and an almost instinctive need to protect his cheek filled his mind. "Who're you?"

"You...right, of course you don't remember me," Jackie said, looking down. "I'm her mother."

"Rose's?" he asked, and Jackie nodded. She looked up at him, biting her lip in a look of panic.

"I'm sorry, Doctor!" she said. He frowned.

"For what?" he asked, and she looked at Rose.

"I did this," she said. "I said something stupid, and then everything went pear-shaped and…I'm sorry. Can you fix it?"

"'Course I can – I can do anything!" the Doctor said, looking to Rose. He paused and looked at Jackie, frowning again. "Er…exactly what am I fixing now?"

"Don't bother with her, Doctor," Martha said, walking over to him. She folded her arms over her chest and nodded at Jackie. "She's supposed to be on uppers, though she has a tendency to not take them – probably doesn't even know what she's saying."

"And who're you, then?" Jackie asked, mirroring her pose and straightening in her seat. Martha sniffed slightly.

"Martha Jones – I'm one of Miss Tyler's doctors," she said. She jumped as Jackie snapped at her, fixing a seething look her way.

"Well, you can shut it right there, Martha Jones," she said tersely. "I'm not on any medicine – I'm the only one in this room who remembers things as they should be, so until you can claim as much I'd kindly ask you to sod off!"

"Told you she was barmy," Martha muttered to the Doctor, shifting slightly. Jackie's eyes narrowed on her.

"You've a problem with Rose, Dr. Jones?" she asked, and Martha started.

"Wh-what makes you think that?" she asked, and Jackie gave her a knowing look. Martha sighed and looked back to Rose. "I don't even know her. She's just a patient."

"Well, you're wrong there," Jackie said, and Martha raised a brow at her. "She's Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth, and that's a lot more than you can say."

"Woah, woah – Jackie, calm down," Jack said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She sighed and looked down, nodding.

"Sorry," she said. "I don't mean it, Dr. Jones. I'm just upset, is all. Rose wouldn't even be here if not for me, and I…I'm sorry."

"Right, what exactly do you mean by that?" the Doctor asked, looking back to her. She looked at him for a moment before looking back to Rose, unable to meet his gaze. Jack sighed and nodded to her.

"She said that Rose used to travel with you, but you'd been separated," he said. The Doctor opened his mouth to protest, but Jack held up a hand. "Yeah, I know you don't, but apparently you did. Jackie made a wish around this ball, and she woke up to find everything different."

"Different how?" the Doctor asked, and nodded to Rose.

"You blew up her job, that department store with the shop window dummies. Asked her to come with you, and she did. You met him during the Blitz, and she convinced you to let him stay – until he died on that game station. Then you went and changed your face," Jackie said. She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "Funny, never thought I'd see you like this again. Nearly forgot how big your…"

"How big my what?" he asked, narrowing his eyes, and she laughed slightly as she shook her head.

"Never mind – it's not important," she said. He pulled out the second photo from his pocket and handed it to her, asking her if she knew who the man was. She nodded. "It's you, after you changed. Oh, she loved you so much…"

"Excuse me?" he asked, and she gave him one of those looks only a mother could make.

"Don't give me that – you loved her, too," she said. She handed him back the photo, smiling slightly. "She fell into a parallel world at Canary Wharf. She was alive, Doctor – not in a coma or anything, but…she was so sad. Didn't like the rest of us knowing, but we all did – she just wanted a way back to you. You said it was impossible, but she's stubborn. Said there had to be a way."

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked, pulling out the psychic paper and showing her the message. She shook her head.

"Never seen it before," she said. Jack nodded towards Rose.

"Could she be doing it?" he asked, and the Doctor shook his head as he stuffed it back in his pocket.

"Don't see how," he said. "She's just a human, Jack. No way she's got enough psychic energy."

"Can you fix this, Doctor? Can you put things back the way they were?" Jackie asked, looking at him. He paused before looking back to Rose.

"I don't know how, but…maybe…" he frowned as he stepped closer to the bed, placing his fingers along the side of her face. Jackie started to rise from her chair, but Jack put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. He glanced back at Martha, silencing her questioning look with a firm shake of his head, before turning back to Rose. His eyes slid closed, and with a gentle prod he slipped into her mind. Almost immediately he leapt back, gasping at the brilliant flare of gold that shot out at him. He stumbled, trying to regain his equilibrium as Jack rush over to him, placing a steadying hand on his arm and asking if he was all right. Jackie screamed and Martha let out a terrified "Oh my God!" as the light receded, and when he looked up his blood nearly froze in his veins. Rose Tyler was sitting straight up in the bed, her face emotionless and eyes glowing with an unearthly golden light. A light he had only ever seen one place before: in the heart of the TARDIS.

"Oh my God," Martha screamed again, but he didn't bother looking at her. "I knew it – I just knew it! You're gonna get me dead!"

"Shut up, Martha!" he snapped, waving her off. He looked back to 'Rose', his eyes murderous steel as he stared at whoever had decided to take up residence in her body. "Who are you?"

"I am the Bad Wolf," 'Rose' said, staring at him and yet not with eyes too ancient for a human to possess. Her voice was almost tinny, echoing and old and yet….familiar. Familiar, and strangely comforting – which confused him, because when he looked at her the part of his mind desperate to remember Rose Tyler screamed out in a terrified panic.

_"You're gonna burn!"_

"Oh? I'm the Doctor – nice to meet you," he said cheerfully, but then he let his face slip back into that glare. "Now who the hell are you, really? And don't tell me 'Bad Wolf', because that's not an answer."

"I am the Bad Wolf," she repeated, and he groaned.

"I just told you not to tell me that!" he said. He nodded towards her, frowning. "All right, then, 'Bad Wolf' – what've you done with Rose Tyler?"

"I am Rose Tyler," she said, and Jackie snorted.

"You most certainly are not! I know my daughter, and you are not my daughter!" she said, and the Doctor waved a hand at her, telling her to shut it.

"I am the Bad Wolf, as I am Rose Tyler. Rose Tyler is the Bad Wolf, as the Bad Wolf is her. I created myself, to protect my Doctor from the False God. To end the Time War," the Bad Wolf said. The Doctor frowned.

"What do you mean, 'to end the Time War'? The Time War's been over for years, and who's this 'False God' you're going on about?" he asked.

"The Emperor of the Daleks, hidden away in the dark places until strong enough to wage war on the universe," she said. "I looked into the heart of the TARDIS, and the heart of the TARDIS looked into me. I became the Bad Wolf, to protect my Doctor from the False God. To end the –"

"Yeah, yeah – to end the Time War, I heard you the first time," the Doctor said, scowling at the way this 'Bad Wolf' talked in circles. Fine, she was the 'Bad Wolf', who also happened to be Rose, who did it to protect him (_her_ Doctor? She had some cheek!) from the Daleks. The Daleks? Satellite Five!

"But I don't understand," Jackie said, standing from her chair. "No one else remembers, sweetheart – how do you?"

"I am outside of time," the Bad Wolf said, and the Doctor snorted.

"That's impossible," he said, but the Bad Wolf pressed on.

"I am outside of time, and I see all things. What was has been changed, and what will be is now in jeopardy," she said, her eyes not once moving to the Doctor or Jackie.

"That doesn't make any sense," Martha said, and Jack nodded.

"What do you mean, 'what will be is now in jeopardy'? The future? Because of what Jackie changed the future's going to be different?" he asked. The Doctor started to point out how obvious that should have been, but stopped as the Bad Wolf continued.

"The way it should be cannot be as it is now. I planned, and I made the way when I protected my Doctor. I saw all that would be, and I spread my message to change it. Now it is in jeopardy," she said, and the Doctor shook his head.

"But I don't know you! I've never met you before!" he said. For the first time since awakening, she turned to face him, and he was paralyzed by the bullet-like action and piercing gaze that now held him. Another tremor of fear raced down his spine, more flashes from the game station – flashes he knew had not occurred.

…had they?

"The altered histories have confused you, my Doctor," she said, her eyes clearing to brown for the briefest of moments. She raised a hand, the gold once again clouding her sight. "I return what was lost."

Another golden flash filled the room, and he was barely aware of Jackie Tyler's – Jackie! – screams as a burning filled his veins. It was indescribable, the feeling blazing through him – regeneration but not, accompanied by a veil lifting from his mind and suddenly he saw it all, everything he had lost. Rose. His perfect Rose, holding her hand and twirling her in bone-crushing hugs and running, just because they could. The cellar, grabbing her hand and breathing that one word – "Run!" The Blitz, dancing around the console room to Glenn Miller while they saved Captain Jack. Satellite Five, sacrificing his life for hers when she returned as the Bad Wolf. New New York, Krop Tor, the 2012 London Olympics…Canary Wharf, when he had watched her fall into hell itself, only to be caught at the last minute by the father who hadn't wanted her. Martha Jones and Jack, the Master and the Year that Never Was…Astrid, the girl from Stow who had been Rose in every sense but the one that mattered (she wasn't), which made her unbelievably brilliant.

And as it cleared, he opened his eyes to find…himself. There was Jack, gasping beside him as he stared at the Bad Wolf, and Martha gawking at him like…what? Jackie screamed again (blimey, she could shout!), pointing at him.

"You…you…you're…_you!_ Doctor!" she shouted, and he frowned before he felt them – new teeth, but they weren't – not really. Right. He was back, wasn't he?

"Doctor, what's…but…how did you get old? With the ears? You…oh my God, you can change your face!" Martha cried, and he frowned; hadn't he covered that with her? Back on the SS Pentallian? He brushed it off and looked back to Rose – oh, Rassilon – _Rose!_ – giving the Bad Wolf his stormiest look.

"You've changed things," he said, fighting every instinct in his body that told him to run to her and crush her in his arms. That was not Rose. That was the Bad Wolf, and right now hugging her was the last thing he should be thinking of doing. Not when he had a sinking feeling it was two minutes to Belgium, and here he was without his kettle and string. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

"I have not," she said, and he nearly winced at the echoing voice. He could hear his Rose, lying just beneath the surface, but the Vortex was controlling her now. She was Bad Wolf, not Rose. _Not Rose._ Which, he couldn't help but think, just wasn't fair. All this time, and here she was…and it wasn't even her. It wasn't the first time he felt the Universe hated him, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. "The Time Lords have corrupted the timelines, my Doctor."

"What?" he asked, scrunching his face in confusion. "But…that's impossible!"

"Might wanna be careful about how you use that word, Doc," Jack said, nodding at him. He glanced at him, one eyebrow arched higher than the other, and Jack shrugged. "Just saying. Look what happened last time you said something was impossible." He nodded at the Bad Wolf, and the Doctor looked back to her.

"The Time Lords are dead – you should know that, since you claim to know everything," he said. "How could they have caused this?"

"The answer is in her pocket," the Bad Wolf said, pointing to Jackie. He looked at her as she frowned and reached into a pocket, pulling out…no! Impossible!

"What?!" he asked, gaping at the small glass sphere. He shoved past Jack in his rush to her, snatching the orb from her hands as he came to a stop. He held it up to what little light filtered through the window from the cloudy day outside, his eyes wide as he stared at the miniature Gallifrey in its center. Gallifrey…he had thought he'd never see his planet again, yet there it was – preserved by an old Time Lord trick in a little ball of…trouble. That's exactly what this was: trouble. No, sorry – Trouble. With a capital 'T', and anything else that could emphasize its status of Very Bad News. He looked to Jackie, his eyes narrowed on her in a snarling look. When he spoke, every word was said carefully and filled with the dread she should fear. It was mean, he could tell – she looked devastated, poor girl. But this…this was Trouble. "What did you do?"

"I…" she started, shaking at the storm she could see swirling in his eyes. What had Rose said he had been called? The 'Oncoming Storm'? "It was an accident, Doctor – I swear!"

"Where did you get this?" he asked, and she nodded at Bad Wolf.

"That lot at Torchwood found it, and they didn't have a clue as to what it did. So they gave it to Rose, and she…she said it was from your lot. Time Lord. 'Cause of the designs on it – she said it was writing – and I…we fought, Doctor, and I…I said something…" she stopped, fearful eyes fixed on the glass orb. His grip tightened on the device, his body shaking in his fury.

"What did you say?" he asked, and when she didn't answer he grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Jackie, _what did you say?!_"

"Doc!" Jack cried, rushing over to him and pulling him off her. She shook her head, forcing herself not to cry in front of him. She wanted to – oh, how she wanted to! – but she wouldn't. Not for him. He may be the almighty Doctor, but she was Jackie Tyler – and she wouldn't give him that. "Calm down! Hurting her won't do us any good, and it really won't make you feel any better!"

He ripped himself away from Jack, glaring at him as he shoved the orb in his face. He shook it at him and shouted, "Do you have any idea what she's done, Jack?!"

"Rewrote history, from the looks of it," Jack said, and the Doctor nodded.

"Exactly! These shouldn't exist, Jack – not anymore! They're an old myth, a legend from before the Time Lords closed themselves up in their little glass ball," he said. Jack quirked a brow at the Doctor's choice of words, but he pressed on, ignoring him. "They have a little bit of the Vortex in them – same stuff as the heart of the TARDIS, tucked away in this planet in the center. Back when Time Lords still interacted with other races, they'd give these as peace offerings – one wish, and only one, to fix anything the neighboring species had a problem with. They have the power to rewrite history according to one wish, and Jackie Tyler here rewrote it to write me out!"

He turned on Jackie then, his eyes sparking as he snarled. He stepped closer to her, his eyes dark, and a shiver of fear coursed through her.

"Jackie Tyler," he said, and she looked up at him, "I've waited _years_ to do this."

Without another word, he drew back his hand and swiped it across her cheek in his own version of her infamous slap. Martha gasped and Jack gave another shout, starting to step towards him, when Jackie rounded on the Doctor with a slap of her own. He stumbled back, and Jack and Martha looked on in stunned silence as he flexed his jaw, putting a hand to his stinging cheek.

"Bloody hell!" he shouted, twisting his head away as he moved his jaw. "Donna was nothing compared to that!"

"Well, I don't know what you mean by that, but I dare say you deserved it!" Jackie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked him over a moment, before sighing. "Oh, come here!"

He tensed as she pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight as he yelped out, "Don't snog me!" She gave him another squeeze before stepping back and turning towards the Bad Wolf.

"I didn't think it would do anything, and I was so angry…" she said, unable to meet the Doctor's eyes, "…so I told her I wished that she had never met you."

He nearly dropped the orb then, his eyes widening at her words. He had always known she didn't really like him, but she had warmed up to him after the regeneration – there had been a respect there. He respected her as Jackie Tyler, worst backhand in the universe and Rose's mum, and she'd respected him as the one who would always bring her daughter home. He never thought…did she hate him that much? That she would just…wish him away?

"Jackie…" he gasped, and she looked at him. He saw it then, the tears she was trying so desperately to push back, and knew she couldn't.

"I didn't mean it, Doctor! I was just so angry…I knew you wanted her to have that fantastic life, and she was, mostly! But…she was so involved with Torchwood, and those aliens, and…and finding you. Finding a way back. I just wanted her to stay, Doctor," Jackie said, looking down. "I just wanted her to be happy with what she had – what the rest of us had – for once in her life, instead of wanting more."

"Instead of wanting him," Martha corrected, and they turned to look at her. Jackie narrowed her eyes on her, and Martha sniffed. "Don't give me that look. And I say you're mad – even if you aren't supposed to be. 'Cause I traveled with him for a year, Jackie Tyler, and if your daughter loves him as much as he does her, then there's no way she'd be on with a good life. She'd…she'd keep looking. 'Cause I don't think he ever stopped, even if he didn't want me knowing."

"Martha…" the Doctor said, and she shook her head at him.

"Don't try and say I'm wrong, 'cause you know I'm right," she said, and he looked back to Jackie.

"Please, Doctor. Can you fix this?" she asked again, and he looked down at the sphere held loosely in his hand.

"I…I don't know, Jackie," he said. He shook his head, floundering for something brilliant to say to make her feel better. Anything, but…there was nothing. He had no answers – not this time. "I don't know how."

"But I do."

They all jumped at the voice, looking back to the Bad Wolf. The Doctor frowned as he looked her over; she looked…weaker.

"How, then?" he asked, stepping closer to her. "How do you propose we fix this, Bad Wolf? 'Cause I could really use a brilliant idea right now."

"I can see the whole of time and space," she said, and he froze. In his mind he saw the Daleks, so many Daleks all around them and she erased them all. Every last one, resulted to time dust at her hands. "I can rewrite time and turn it back. I can make things as they were."

"How they were before Jackie made her wish," he said, his voice steely. There was a pain griping his hearts, clawing at him and tearing him apart in dreaded realization. "With Rose back on the other side."

"I can make things as they were," the Bad Wolf repeated, and against all reason and everything he knew was right…he snapped.

"No," he said, his voice firm. He had said it so calmly, so surely…the eruption that followed seemed out of place. Jack whirled on him, eyes wide and shouting a loud "What?!" as Jackie screeched. Martha even rolled her eyes, muttering something too low for him to hear; only the Bad Wolf remained unphased, staring at him with her ancient eyes. Eyes that belonged to his Rose – eyes that should never see what was coursing through her head right then.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Jackie shouted, placing her hands on her hips. He looked at her, unwilling to back down – but so was she. "Doctor, she's in a bleeding coma! Mickey is _dead!_ And you don't want her to make things right?!"

"If she fixes it Rose goes back," he said, voice quiet. "She goes back to the other side."

"Well, what's wrong with that?" Martha asked, and he turned to face her, shock written on his face. He had always known (well, ok, maybe not _always_ known…) that Martha was jealous of Rose, but surely she wasn't that cruel? "Doctor, as things are now she's in a coma. From what you've been saying she's fine in the other world. Isn't that better than this? Awake and as close to happy as she can be there?"

"She's right, Doc," Jack said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You can't really want Rose like this."

"I can fix this! This is a coma – simple brain damage! I can fix brain damage! I can do any…" he paused, stopping as his mind went back to the Titanic. To Astrid, falling so far from him – just like Rose. But there had been no one to catch Astrid, and she had…she was stardust now, molecules dancing among the stars she had once dreamed of traveling to. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't save her.

Just like he couldn't save Rose.

"Doctor, you have to let her do this," Jack said, squeezing his shoulder in a comforting gesture. The Doctor looked at him, his face torn. He felt so lost – so very lost, and he was just bobbing there with his head barely above the water, and if let her do this…she'd be gone, and there would be no one there to keep him from drowning. Not anymore.

"I can't lose her again, Jack," he said, scrunching his eyes against the burn of tears. He wouldn't cry. He _couldn't_ cry.

"The way she is now, Doc," Jack said, looking past him to the Bad Wolf, "you don't even have her to begin with."

He tore away from him, rounding on the Bad Wolf with a caustic glare as his stomach fisted into a knot. Words were failing him – he was scrambling, floundering as the waves tossed him harder and harder. He was drowning, and the only one who could save him was possessed by the sodding Vortex.

"But I don't understand – Jackie said no one remembered! I didn't even remember, not all of it – and neither did Jack! Martha had no clue! How did you remember this? You shouldn't even exist now – how are you possible?!" he asked, and for a moment he didn't think she'd answer him.

"I am outside of time," she finally said, and he ground his teeth in frustration. She had already said that before, and it still didn't make any sense! "The wish was completed using the Vortex I was born of. I am a part of it, and so am outside of it. It does not alter me."

"But Jack –" the Doctor started, and she continued before he could say any more.

"Is a part of the pack," she said, and the Doctor stilled. "My power is within him, preserving him. I bring life. But he is not me, and so was changed."

"But I –" he again tried to say, but again she cut him off.

"Are a Time Lord, and therefore in tune with the Vortex. Are part of the pack – my Doctor, protected even still from the shifting sands," she said. "I can see all that is, all that was, all that could be – even what is changed. Like my Doctor."

"Then why didn't you see this?!" he screamed, stomping his foot into the ground. "Why didn't you see Jackie wishing me out of Rose's life?! Why didn't you see Canary Wharf?! Answer me! Why did you let this happen?!"

"I saw a great battle," she said, "between the disciples of the False God and the men of metal. I saw myself fall through the Void, into the other world. I saw."

It was like she had grabbed his hearts, ripped them out of his chest, and beat them into the ground. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think – couldn't move. He didn't even notice Jack's hand slipping from his shoulder, or how Martha covered her mouth as she let out a horrified gasp. His mouth hung open, his eyes widened at her in furious shock as he tried to wrap his mind around her words. She knew. She knew, and she…_she sodding knew!_

"And you did nothing," he choked, the truth sinking in. "You…you let it happen. You let her fall. You took her away from me. You took her away from me!"

"It was necessary, my Doctor," she said, and he snarled as he lunged at her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her furiously.

"Don't call me that!" he shouted. "Don't you dare call me that – I'm her Doctor, not yours! Rose's! You…you…you took her away from me! If I was your Doctor, if you cared at all, why did you do that?! Why didn't you keep her here?! Why didn't you stop this?!"

He was gasping as Jack pulled him away, the tears he had so long denied streaking down his face. He shook, oblivious to the words of comfort Jack whispered to him as he hugged him, or to the horrified looks on Martha and Jackie's faces. He shoved Jack away, stalking back towards the Bad Wolf with murder written in his eyes. "Why didn't you stop this?"

"I had to leave to come back," she said, and he bit back the snarl as he shouted at her, telling her she wasn't making any sense. She remained unphased. "The human was still a child. My body needed to grow. To hold me. To sustain me. Forever, my Doctor."

He fell back a step, shaking his head as the word rang through his skull. Forever. _"How long are you gonna stay with me?"_

"Forever," she said again, but he didn't understand. "My body needed to grow, to change, to give you forever."

"But.." he started, shaking his head, "…you're there. On the other side of the Void. The walls are closed."

"I am the Bad Wolf," she said. "The Void is nothing to me. I create the walls, and I tear them away. I can return."

"What?" he asked, all of his bluster suddenly gone, and she looked at him. There was the flash of brown, and for a moment he saw his Rose through the Bad Wolf. No…in the Bad Wolf. For the first time since he had known the being before him, he saw that they really were one in the same.

"Help me, my Doctor," she said. "Help me heal the timelines. My way was forming, to bring me back. Help me bring me back."

"Doctor…" Jack said, but he ignored him. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew, deep down, that she was right. He had to help her. Because otherwise…a life with a little Rose was better than not knowing her at all. And if the Bad Wolf was right…was she really coming back? Forever?

"What do you need me to do?" he asked, and for a moment he thought he saw the Bad Wolf smile.

"Take me to the TARDIS," she said, just before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed against the mattress.


	5. How it Is

_**Mother Knows Best  
**__**Chapter Five: How it **__**Is**_

_"Take me to the TARDIS," she said, just before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed against the mattress._

"Is…she all right?" Martha asked, looking from Rose to the Doctor with a nervous glance. She hung back, close to the door and nearly in the shadows – away from the rest of them. She had been a part of Team TARDIS, yes, but this…this was different. Before her was a family, a close-knit group that a part of her knew she'd never be part of – not fully, at least. The part of her that had always felt like an outsider in the TARDIS felt even more so now, and it wasn't the first time she found herself having no idea as to what should be done.

"Right – to the TARDIS!" the Doctor said, bouncing forward and ignoring her question. He moved to the side of the bed and began unhooking Rose from the machines. He had to keep active, keep busy…keep his mind off the Bad Wolf's words. Everything in him was screaming against this, against sending her away, and keeping busy made it easier to drown out that voice. The Bad Wolf had said she was returning. He had to trust her. Otherwise…

"Oi, what're you doing?!" Martha snapped, and he looked back to her with a raised eyebrow. "You can't just…disconnect her! Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Of course I do – I'm the –" he started to say, and Martha rolled her eyes. Her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at him.

"You're the Doctor, I know. But are you _a_ doctor? A real, proper medical one? Really?" she asked, and his jaw dropped. Hadn't they covered this? They must have at least once in their year together!

"Of course I'm a proper medical doctor! I have papers and everything! Got my degree in 18…" he paused as she continued to look at him, and he groaned as he turned back to Rose. "I know what I'm doing, Martha! But if you really doubt me that much, feel free to help!"

"I think I will," she huffed, stalking over to the other side of the bed and setting to work disconnecting Rose's IV. Jackie walked over to Jack, frowning at him.

"They always like this?" she asked, and he grinned as he gave her a nod. She smiled as she looked back to them. "Glad to see someone kept him in line while Rose was gone."

"What're you doing now?!" they looked back as Martha shrieked, and the Doctor looked at her, his brows furrowed in annoyance. He was bent over, one arm behind Rose's shoulders and the other about to slide beneath her knees.

"What's it look like, Martha?! I'm doing what she said – I'm taking her to the TARDIS!" he said. He grit his teeth as Martha rolled her eyes; he was beginning to find that trait _very_ annoying.

"Doctor, would you use your bloody brain for once?" she asked. She nodded at Rose. "She's a coma patient! You honestly think you're gonna be able to just…carry her out of the hospital?"

He seemed to deflate at her words; he honestly hadn't considered that. He looked back to Rose, his mind torn as to what to do. He had to get her to the TARDIS, but he couldn't get her out of the hospital without causing a scene. He could bring the TARDIS here – it should fit in the room – but that would mean leaving her. The arm behind her shoulders slipped out, and he ran a hand along the side of her face. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling softly as he reveled in the feel of touching her again. He only gave himself the moment, however, before looking back at Martha. He had no choice – he'd have to let her go soon anyway, so what would those few minutes matter? She'd be back soon, and then they'd have all the time in the universe.

He hoped.

"You're absolutely right, Martha," he said, straightening. He missed the hurt that flashed through her eyes as he turned to look at Jack, his grin still tearing his face.

"Haven't seen you smile like that in a long time, Doc," Jack said, smirking. The Doctor laughed, shrugging helplessly in reply. It was all right, though – Jack understood. He felt it, too, that torn sort of joy Rose's reappearance and imminent departure had brought on. It wasn't fair, this small grasp at the way things should be (sans the hospital – she should be _here_, not in an alternate world or a hospital…just here, with them), but he was in the same boat as the Doctor right now; trust the Bad Wolf. They both had to, because otherwise they'd never be able to do the right thing. "So where'd you park the old girl, anyway?"

"Just outside," the Doctor said. "Watch over her for me, Jack – I won't be a minute."

"Like she's going anywhere," Jackie huffed, and the Doctor jumped as he looked at her.

"Blimey, I nearly forgot – how's Pete?" he asked. She blinked, her face twisting in confusion as she looked at him. He just grinned, though, and a part of her winced; she had seen that smile on him before, so many times. It was his 'I'm All Right' smile, the one he slapped on every time he was fighting what he didn't want to accept. She went along with him, deciding that distraction might be the best thing – for him and for Rose. The sooner this was sorted out the better.

"He's fine, Doctor. Torchwood director and everything," she said. He beamed at her, truly happy for how things had worked out for the Tyler lot.

"And the baby? Rose said you were expecting, the last…what did you have, anyway?" he asked, and she beamed as she thought of Lilly. Oh, she couldn't wait to hug her again!

"A little girl – well, not so little anymore, is she? She's nearly five," Jackie said warmly. "We named her Lilly. Lilly Jane Tyler."

"Jane?" he asked, frowning, and she nodded.

"It was Rose's idea," she said, and he laughed, looking back to the sleeping girl. He bent down and kissed her forehead, still laughing as he twirled away, punching the air.

"That's my Rose – brilliant, she is!" he said. He ran over to Jackie and hugged her. "It's good to see you, Jackie."

"We already did this, Doctor – now go get that ship of yours before this gets any harder," she said, hugging him back. He nodded and ran over to the corner, clearing away a few chairs. He gave the space an appraising look, nodding again when he was satisfied the TARDIS would fit. He turned back to them and pointed, waving his arm around to each of them.

"No one get in this corner here," he said. He looked thoughtful a moment before looking at Jack. "Well, you can if you want, Jack, but we really don't have time to wait for you to wake up now. Like Jackie said: best get this done before it gets any harder. Now, allons-y!"

Jackie laughed as he raced out of the room, but when she turned back to the others Jack had sobered and his gaze was focused on an uncomfortable Martha. She was still next to Rose's bed, frowning as she looked down at the girl. Jack put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped.

"Hey, you ok?" he asked. She smiled weakly and looked back to Rose.

"Yeah, it's just…I know it's silly, Jack, and I'm over him – I swear – but…a part of me still wishes he'd look at me like that," she said. Jack squeezed his hand on her shoulder and tried to say something, but Jackie cut him off.

"It's not worth it, sweetheart," she said. They both started and looked at her, eyes wide. "The Doctor's an amazing man, I'll give him that, but I've seen what loving him like Rose does will do to you."

"What?" Martha asked, her forehead scrunching as she watched her. She was caught in Jackie's stare; the woman looked so torn, caught between happiness for her daughter and wanting something better for her. Something that didn't put her life in danger. Jackie smiled weakly and sighed.

"It breaks your heart. It only breaks your heart," she said. She looked up to see Jack, standing there with a stern glare narrowing his eyes, and she returned the look in all its intensity. "Don't give me that, Jack – you know it, too. Rose told me. You know it better than any of us. You died for him."

"I can't die, Jackie," he said, and her eyes grew wide. He looked back to Rose. "When she became the Bad Wolf, she did something. Made it so I can't die. I don't know why, and I'm not entirely sure how, but that's how it is."

"From the sounds of it she did it to herself, too – what with how she was going on about 'forever'," Martha sniffed, and Jack smiled at that.

"Yeah, she probably did," he said. He walked over to her and brushed a hand along the side of her face, much as the Doctor had done just moments ago. "She doesn't want him to be alone, Martha. She's never wanted him to be alone. But she knew what a life with him meant, one close call after another…it wouldn't surprise me if that was her way of making sure he'd always have us."

"That would be her," Jackie said, smiling. "Always doing the stupid thing."

Martha paused as the sound of the TARDIS filled the room, and a moment later the box had solidified itself in the corner that had been cleared for it. The Doctor poked his head out of the door, looking around quickly and grinning when he realized he had materialized in the correct spot. He rushed out then, going to Rose's other side and scooping her up in his arms.

"Ready?" he asked, looking to Jackie. She smiled.

"Ever since I woke up yesterday," she said, and he laughed as he carried Rose into the TARDIS, the others close behind.

– W –

Jackie, Martha, and Jack watched from the top of the ramp as the Doctor carefully placed Rose on the jump seat. He laid a hand on the side of her head to steady her and leaned in to kiss her forehead before putting his other hand against her head. Splaying his fingers along her face, he closed his eyes and concentrated. His brow furrowed against the golden flash, but this time he stood his ground. He would always stand his ground, for her.

"We're here," he said as her eyes opened. He let his hands linger, barely grazing the skin now accented with that golden light. Honey eyes, a painful mix of gold and brown, looked up at him. "We're inside the TARDIS. We're…it's time. It's time."

Jack looked to Martha as she gripped his arm. She was biting her lip, unshed tears swimming in her eyes. He smiled and pulled her into his arms, holding her as she watched the Doctor and Rose. Somehow, before she knew she shouldn't expect to ever meet Rose, she hadn't imagined her return would be this…complicated. Hard. Messy.

The Bad Wolf stood wordlessly and made her way to the console. The Doctor's eyes never left her, a terrified sort of hope burning in them as he watched her progress. She rounded the console and stopped by the hatch she had opened all that time ago, the energy around her pulsing in time with the TARDIS's hum. The Doctor's eyes widened as he realized what she was about to do, and he lunged towards her with a "Stop!" Martha and Jack jumped and turned confused eyes on him, but Jackie had seen this before. Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, and the step she took towards the captain was almost involuntary. The Bad Wolf paused and looked at the Doctor, not even acknowledging the hand he had placed on her wrist.

"Why here?" he asked, brows furrowing. "Why do you need to be here?"

"You know the answer, my Doctor," her echoing voice said, and his gaze hardened.

"I know what I think I know you're doing," he said, voice icy, "and I know that I don't like it. And I know that I don't like it enough that I want to believe you're not doing it, so I need you to tell me now. Why do you need to be here?"

She remained silent, that timeless gaze boring into his own as he stared her down. His grip tightened on her wrist as he asked, "Why can't you fix this on your own?"

"The histories were rewritten," she said, nonplussed. "Time was altered, and so I was not created. I was not born. My power is weakened - I must rejoin with the TARDIS to make things right."

"The hell you will!" Jack shouted, startling everyone. The Bad Wolf wouldn't look at him. "The Doc told me – he _died_ the last time you did that! You would have if he hadn't intervened!"

"But I must," the Bad Wolf said, her eyes locked on the Doctor's. He thought he saw something there – a begging, a pleading that he didn't want to place.

"I can't let you do that," he said, tilting his head. "It will kill you, Rose. I can't let you do that again. I _wo__n't_ let you do that again."

"But there is no other way," she said, and the Doctor glanced at Jack to see him snarl. He looked back to the Bad Wolf, fighting back one of his own. "It will not kill me, my Doctor."

"You can't know that," he said, putting a hand on the side of her face. "Rose, listen to me – you don't have to do this."

"But I do," she said, gasping. Her eyes cleared for a moment, and he froze. "I see everything. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be – I will live."

"You'll burn," his voice was thick with the effort to not cry – to not scream and rage and throw the Time Lord equivalent of a hissy fit. "There has to be another –"

"There is no other way," she said. She reached up and placed her hand over his. His skin burned, but not from the gold dancing around her; it was just her, her hand against his own like it always should have been. He tilted his head down, unable to look at her and the onslaught of memory. "I will live."

"Will we remember?" he asked suddenly, glancing at her without looking up.

"I can make you forget," she said, and his hand tightened on her cheek. Her lips turned in the slightest frown, and the growl he had been holding back since remembering broke forth in a furious snarl. Despite the millions of languages running through his head, he found Jack's words the most eloquent for expressing the rage coursing in him.

"The hell you will," he spat, and suddenly he didn't feel very in control of his body. He brought his other hand to the other side of her face, angling her head towards him as he stepped closer, and then he was kissing her. Brutal and fierce and frustrated and pained, but conveying every bit of love he had for the incredible human before him. At first she didn't move, and then he felt her relax against him. No, not relax – melt. She melted into him, and he nearly paused as the kiss went from frustration to something softer, something kinder. Something that made him wonder why he had never bothered kissing her before, when she wasn't possessed. He took nothing from her, leaving that bit of Bad Wolf swirling around inside her, but he could tell – it was Rose he was holding now, and Rose alone. It was Rose with her hands against the crook of his arms, squeezing gently. It was Rose moving her lips against his own, and it was Rose crying the tears he felt brushing his cheeks. Rose. _His_ Rose.

And then he heard it, ghosting over his mind – a mix of the Bad Wolf and the TARDIS, letting him know that it would be ok. She would be back, if he could just wait a little longer. He didn't know how, and he didn't think she really did either (the Bad Wolf never liked keeping her completely in the loop), but she would be. Somehow. He pulled back as the hatch on the console burst open and looked at her, his thumb brushing beneath a gloriously brown eye and rubbing away a tear. She smiled at him, breathing heavily as she came back to herself.

"Doctor," she whispered, and he smiled.

"Hello," he said, and she gave a breathy laugh.

"Hello," she replied, and it was just like all those times years ago – only better. He kissed her again, just because he could, and then he let go. He stepped back, and she watched him with torn eyes as he retreated a few paces backwards. He stopped near the jump seat, his smile never fading.

"See you soon, Shiver," he said, and she laughed as the golden tendrils reached out for her.

"I love you, Shake," she said, and his grin turned into a full-fledged beam. He knew they had to look the sappiest people in the multiverse, but he didn't care.

"I –" he started, but he was cut off by an eruption of light. The gold returned to her eyes as she looked back to the console, and he barely had time to breathe before it was over.

'…love you,' he whispered in his mind, and then all he knew was gold.

– W –

Jackie found waking up that morning to be…extremely difficult. The first threads of consciousness began stringing themselves together, and she found she just couldn't move. She could barely breathe as she strained her ears, listening for the too-close sirens, the fighting couple, and the crying babies. She listened for council life, but the morning was…blessedly silent. She could hear birds – _birds!_ – and breathing. Pete's breathing, and she could feel his warmth behind her and the secure pressure of his arm wrapped tight about her waist, holding her close. She let out a quiet sigh, a relieved breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and sank against the cushy mattress, wrapped tight in warm blankets. She was home.

But…had they ever left to begin with? Had she really changed everything so horridly, and had Rose – no, they had called her 'Bad Wolf' – really put it all back? Her heart clenched at that as she thought of her daughter, a sudden wave of panic sweeping through her.

"Rose!" she cried suddenly, bolting up in bed. Pete groaned and stirred, peeking open an eye to look at her.

"Jacks, wha're you…" he slurred, and she pressed a finger to his lips before bending down to kiss him. She smiled at him, and he returned the gesture. "Wha's 'at for?"

"I love you, Peter Allan Tyler," she said. "I love you and Lilly and I'd never trade anything for you – not ever."

"I love you too, Jackie," he said, sobering at the seriousness in her voice. She smiled and kissed him again, and despite how she wanted to just lose herself in his touch she pulled away. She put a hand on his cheek, her smile growing.

"Go back to sleep, Pete," she said. "I'll be back in a mo – just gotta see Rose a minute."

"Rose?" he asked, frowning, and she smiled.

"Need to apologize is all," she said. He smiled at that.

"I love you," he said. She kissed him again.

"I know," she whispered. She stood and left him there, smiling after her with the goofy sort of grin happily married couples have perfected. She crept down the hall as quietly as she could, knowing it was still early and not wanting to wake anyone up, and within moments she was at Rose's room. The door was opened, and Rose stood before the large window in her pajamas, staring up at the morning sky with a wistful look upon her face and a hand pressed to the glass. Jackie paused by the door, transfixed; she hadn't seen Rose look like that in…well, five and a half years. She glanced at the desk, and her eyes widened to find the ball missing. What had happened to it? She brushed it off; it didn't matter now.

"Rose?" she asked, stepping farther into the room. Rose made a quiet "Hmmm?", though she didn't look away from the window. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

"I remember," she said, her smile warming. Jackie frowned.

"I'm sorry, Rose," she said. "I didn't mean it. I…I'm…"

"It's all right, Mum," Rose said quietly. "It doesn't matter now. I fixed it."

"The Bad Wolf fixed it," Jackie said, but Rose laughed. Jackie's heart warmed; it felt good to hear her laugh like that again.

"I am the Bad Wolf," she said, and a chill raced down Jackie's spine. She could still hear those words in that echoing voice, still see the being that wasn't Rose looking at her from those honey-colored eyes. "I remember, Mum. I remember everything. Jack's alive, and the Doctor…"

Jackie walked over to her as she trailed off, her smile growing as she placed a hand to her lips. She began giggling, and Jackie paused as the giggles turned into full-blown laughter. Rose turned towards her, grinning and crying and…happy. She was happy.

"I really am giving him forever, Mum. I'm going home," she said, and Jackie smiled as she pulled her into a hug.

Yes, she supposed she was.

– W –

Jack was torn when it came to slow days; on one hand, he was glad that they didn't have to tear out of the Hub to stop a death or an apocalypse or something. On the other, they were…well, slow. He didn't like the paperwork, and that was usually what slow days consisted of – which was probably why he leapt at the chance to avoid it the moment he saw Martha enter the Hub and head for her desk. He left his office and jogged down the steps, stopping at her desk to sit on the corner. She looked up at him, an amused smile on her face, and he grinned.

"You look good," he said, and she shrugged as she pulled out a file. He put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her, and she tensed. "You all right, Martha? Really?"

"Just…never thought I'd meet her, is all," she said. She looked down to the open file and bit her lip. "I thought…before I found out what really happened to her, I thought she had left on her own. I thought I'd never meet this perfect Rose because the Doctor wouldn't want to see her. Then I found out she was trapped in another world, and…a part of me was glad about that, Jack. I felt horrible for the Doctor, and I was able to understand things better, but there was still a part of me who was glad that I'd never have to face her. That maybe it meant one day the Doctor would…I never thought I'd meet her."

"If it's any consolation, the Doc and I never thought we'd see her again, either," he said. Martha looked up at him and smiled.

"But you're different, Jack. You both knew her, and…she wasn't real to me before, because I didn't know her. It was easy to hate her then," she said. "Even when I knew the only reason she wasn't where I was was because she was trapped in another world."

She paused, looking back to the chart as a wry smile twisted her lips. She picked up a pen and rolled it in her fingers, and through it all Jack remained silent. He knew she had to get it out on her own; that was just how she was. Stubborn, just like Rose.

"It's funny, but even when I didn't have a reason to…I still didn't like her," she said. "Guess that just means we'll never get along, huh? I'm always meant to hate Rose Tyler."

"Did you really hate her, Martha?" Jack asked, and she started in surprise as she looked at him. His eyes were serious, and a chill coursed through her. "Did you really hate her, ever?"

"No," she said after a while. She laughed and shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand as she smiled. "Oh, I don't think I could hate her – not after all you've told me. Thing is, I was jealous, Jack. My life…when I met the Doctor, I was at a good place professionally – but my family was…well, imploding. No, exploding – it was too messy and violent to be a simple implosion."

"Master fixed that, though," Jack said, grinning. Martha laughed.

"The only good thing to come from the Year that Never Was – Mum and Dad back together and happy!" she cheered. She sobered, though her smile didn't fade. "I went with him because I was running away – I can admit that now. Didn't help that I fancied him, but the whole time…I was jealous of Rose. I was so jealous of this girl I'd never met, because she had someone who could love her so completely even when I thought she'd broken his heart. Hearts – sorry, hearts. But…"

"But?" he pressed, and she shrugged.

"I've seen it now, though," she said. "At the end, that was Rose, wasn't it? Not that 'Bad Wolf' person. And I don't think I could ever hate her for that. I guess…I'm just not as over him as I'd like to make myself think I am. But I plan to remedy that!"

"Oh?" Jack asked, and she grinned as she held up her mobile. He quirked a brow at the text she showed him, a grin of his own curving his lips.

"I've got a date. Seven o'clock tonight with a Dr. Tom Milligan, and you know what?" she asked, and he shook his head, chuckling. Her grin curved into a smirk. "He doesn't like blondes."

"Oh he doesn't?" Jack asked, laughing as he slapped his knee. She shook her head, laughing with him, until Owen burst into the hub and ran over to them.

"Jack!" he shouted, and Jack sobered immediately. Owen stopped in front of him, panting. "Ianto just phoned – that contact from Italy? Andrew Wells? He's in town, and he's –"

"Jack, there've been a mass of reports of a disturbance a few streets from here – a hairy –" Tosh started, looking up from her station. Owen nodded.

"That would be Andrew!" he said. He looked back to Jack. "Ianto and Gwen are nearby – they were on their way back with lunch when they ran into the mess – and they're calling for help."

"Well, hopefully you won't have to cancel your date, Martha," Jack said, winking at her. He hopped off her desk and looked around. "Ok, kids – let's go."

– W –

What the Doctor needed, right at that moment, was a good run.

He laughed and bounced, dropping the harmless sphere on the controls (it was nothing more than a glass ball now, a safe reminder of what had nearly been and his old, non-Rose home) before he made a lap around the console. He slowed near the hatch that hid the heart of the TARDIS, pausing to stroke a hand along the bronzed metal. He smiled, a full-0ut beam for the memories of the past few days. Of suddenly winking out of existence, of an alternate history (he had to remember to buy Jack a drink next time he saw him – he felt like an exceptional heel for how he had treated him in the rewritten world, even if it wasn't entirely his fault), of finding Rose and coming back to himself…of the Bad Wolf's promise and that amazing snog, and yes, right now he just needed a good run. After all, the faster he started running the faster Rose would be back, and that, he decided, couldn't come fast enough.

He paused as he reached the monitor, his smile nearly tearing his face as he thought on that. She was coming back. She had been back – he had kissed her, actually kissed her! – and she was coming back again. For good, from what the Bad Wolf side of her had said. He nearly giggled as he flipped a switch and began the materialization process, still bouncing as he continued to race around the console. Really, the only thing he had a problem with from the last few days – well, one of the only things, apart from the whole 'Jackie accidentally wished me out of Rose's life' thing – was that he still hadn't been able to tell Rose that he loved her. As the TARDIS shook around him, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe he'd ever get to tell her, even when she was back. It seemed every time he tried something always interrupted them.

He gripped the edge of the console through an exceptionally rough bump, his decision made, and raced to the doors as the TARDIS landed. If the universe wanted to interrupt them, he'd just have to try harder. He would tell Rose Tyler that he was head over heels for her – madly in love, always had been and always would be. It would be the first thing he told her when she came back; he'd see her there, and he'd walk right up to her and snog her senseless. And when she still hadn't recovered from the amazing kiss, he'd grab her shoulders, look her in the eye, and say: "Rose Tyler, I –"

He froze, one foot hovering over a London street and his eyes glued to the ginger woman before him. The very familiar ginger woman, who was frozen in place with wide eyes gawking at him and a snarling Hoix (of all things, honestly – a _Hoix?!_) looking at him strangely from behind her. He blew a breath forcefully past his lips in a sigh, shaking his head; it only figured that – even in his thoughts – he couldn't complete the sentiment.

The Hoix flinched (and he tried so very hard not to laugh at that, but he was in such a good mood he found it nearly impossible not to) as Donna Noble placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, eyes blazing. He shrunk back, knowing that the moment he came within slapping distance he'd have to shield his cheek, as she began to shout.

"Well, it's about bloody time you showed up!"


End file.
